


A Beauty in Red

by Lady_of_Winterhell



Category: Miss Congeniality (Movies), The Mentalist
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Miss Congeniality Fusion, F/M, Mild Language, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:21:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 106,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24497134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_of_Winterhell/pseuds/Lady_of_Winterhell
Summary: The terrorist known only as Red John has sent the FBI a message: he intends to attack the 2017 Miss America Pageant! Special Agent Teresa Lisbon, along with her trusted consultant Patrick Jane, accepts an undercover assignment to put an end to Red John's reign of terror.Or a Miss Congeniality (2000) inspired The Mentalist fic that explores some of the Jisbon morsels that the show throws down because they totally love each other from Day 1, and that's a fact!
Relationships: Patrick Jane/Teresa Lisbon, Wayne Rigsby/Grace Van Pelt
Comments: 15
Kudos: 91





	1. Meet Teresa Lisbon

**Author's Note:**

> The other night, I was in some deep Robin Tunney feels while doing a movie challenge and thought “Wow, she is so gorgeous! She would have been incredible in Miss Congeniality.” Then, it hit me that The Mentalist is practically begging to become a Miss Congeniality-inspired AU. I say “inspired” because the movie is 20 years old (!!). Even though I still love this film, there are obviously some parts of it that don’t hold up well. And there are ways that exploring the Jane-Lisbon relationship could make it better, so please enjoy this hybrid fic. I have about three chapters completed already, and I have a clear plan of completion, so I am hopeful the updates will be fairly regular!

Sacramento, November 2016

“Let’s go, Cubbies!” Teresa Lisbon yelled at the top of her lungs as she clinked shot glasses with a random group of bar patrons that included a few of her fellow FBI Agents. They were all in this sports bar for one reason: to watch what they hoped was the last game of the World Series. As such there were a flurry of white and blue jerseys all around, with most of the bar patrons cheering on the Chicago Cubs. Well, mostly Cubs fans were here because when folks showed up wearing the gear of the other team, Patrick Jane heard Lisbon lead the other fans engage in vulgar trash talk that made even him blush. I guess it’s going to be that kind of night, he thought. 

Most days, Teresa Lisbon was a button-downed, honest to goodness, no-nonsense officer of the law. Not tonight though. Game 7 of the World Series was on the line. A lifelong Chicago-girl at heart, Lisbon took every moment to celebrate her hometown. Tonight was make or break. Lisbon let down her brunette curls, put on her Cubs jersey, jeans, and boots, and hit the bar to celebrate. 

She managed to coax Jane into coming along with her. Jane may be the one who reads people, but she read him pretty well when she’d said, “Jane, come out with us tonight! It’s the World Series. It happens once a year. This is important.” As he tried to decline, she drove the nail into the coffin of tonight’s bad decisions. “Besides, even if I can take care of myself, I always feel better having you out with me. You’ve gotta get out sometimes!” 

“Next round on me,” she heard some man yell as she spotted her sulking consultant in the corner nursing a beer. She could tell he wanted out of here as soon as possible. He’d come because of the peer pressure, obviously. A sports bar full of people spectating a baseball game could never be considered his scene. Noticing Jane’s sulk, Lisbon found her out. A little while ago, she noticed that fellow FBI Agent Ray Haffner had put his arm behind her chair. Best to nip that in the bud quickly, she thought, as she ordered another beer and got up to join Jane. Scooting into the chair across from him, she started talking to him. “What’s up? Are you going to sulk or celebrate?”

Before he could respond, one of the Cubs players landed another base hit and fielded an RBI, which had Lisbon to the floor screaming and cheering again as another tequila shot was thrust into her hands. She downed it almost immediately in celebration.

“Lisbon, I’m not sure you should take alcohol from random men in bars.”

“Psst. Such a worry wart, Jane! Most everyone here is a cop. If something shady goes down, they will have my back.”

“Because cops never do anything sketchy or illegal like rape or kill.”

“Man, come on! Don’t bring the mood down. If they don’t have my back, then I know you do. Besides, the Cubs are about to be the world champions, so we are gonna fucking celebrate!” At that, he flashed her one of his angelic smiles. “So is this how they raise their ladies in Chicago?”

She rolled her eyes at him while also giving him the finger. He just laughed. “You know, Lisbon, you’re great when you’re like this. Truly. You should party more often. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds.” At that, she stuck a few of her fingers in her beer and flicked them at Jane.

“Come on now! Not the suit!” 

“Well, why would you wear that to a sports bar to watch the World Series?”

“Always gotta make an impression.” Now, it was her turn to laugh. He leaned back into his chair with satisfaction.

Haffner spotted them and pulled up a chair. “Hey, Teresa. Is Jane here bothering you on your night off?” It was clear he was trying his hardest to make small talk with Lisbon. 

“Not at all, Ray. Just trying to get Jane to lighten up a bit. Thinking about another round of shots.”

“Another round of shots, Teresa, and you’re gonna have to have an IV to work tomorrow.” If Ray would use her first name, so could he. She shot him another look. 

“Oh, please. I may look like a little lady, but I hold my own like any respectable cop.” Both men smiled at her statement, but Jane could sense Haffner’s smile was quite more loaded than he led on. Ray Haffner is looking for a hookup tonight, he thought as his mind filled with a hint of jealousy.

“On that note, I guess I’m buying,” Jane responded as he flagged down a waiter and ordered three shots of tequila. He never let on, but he was enamored with Teresa Lisbon. She was an enigma to his tortured soul. He had been working with her for a few years to help locate the terrorist known as Red John. The terrorist had murdered his wife and daughter in cold blood, which often complicated his feelings toward Lisbon. Sometimes, she was like an angry little princess full of personality and passion. It’s what made her great. He wasn’t sure that others could see Teresa Lisbon the way he saw the diamond underneath.

The three drank that round, and then, another after the Cubs scored another run. “I want some hot wings,” she screamed randomly and jumped to her feet. Jane could tell that Lisbon was definitely drunk at this point, but it was best not to broach the subject because she was definitely in her element tonight. 

Coaxing Lisbon to sit back down, Jane flagged the waiter down to place their order of wings, wedges (as she was now also screaming for wedges), and water. As subtly as he could, Jane started sending messages to Haffner to get lost. He wasn’t going to let some guy carry off a drunk Lisbon, especially a co-worker. Not only was that assault and in utterly poor taste, but it would absolutely mortify her to wake up hungover and in bed with a colleague. Jane may not know everything about Lisbon, but that definitely wasn’t her thing.

Eventually, Haffner caught the hint. Well, he either caught the hint or got the sight of Lisbon devouring an entire family-sized order of hot wings by herself as she continued to intermittently scream obscenities at the screen or cheer. Either way was fine with Jane, really.

After the Cubs won in the tenth inning and Lisbon insisted on at least three more shots (he lost count at three) to celebrate, he was able to finally get her into a cab and get her home. She texted when she got home, and he responded in kind. That was their usual thing when they had spent an evening drinking.

Jane was exhausted and a little out of sorts himself, so he crashed on his couch. He was woken from his reverie at around 8:00am when his phone rang. At the other end of the line was a barely recognizable Lisbon saying, “Boss wants to see us at 10 about the Red John case.” No, there really is no rest for the wicked, he mused.

“We just got intel that Red John is planning something.” Virgil Minelli always knew how to get straight to business. Jane noticed Minelli’s look of parental concern as he eyed Lisbon. She seemed rather oblivious to the older man’s questioning look as to why a quite hungover and barely put together agent stood before him right now. She had her hair in a very messy ponytail and had obviously dressed so quickly that she didn’t notice her jeans had wing sauce on them from last night. To her credit, she kept her eyes averted from Minelli, definitely feeling guilt for being anything other than in pristine condition in his office.

After a few minutes and a rather noticeable dry heave, Minelli finally addressed the elephant in the room. “Teresa, are you ok?” 

“Yeah, she’s fine. The Cubs won.” Minelli nodded with immediate understanding. “What kind of intel?” Not only was Jane curious, but he knew Lisbon would hate being on the spot like that with Minelli. Lisbon just nodded her head affirmatively and took another sip of her coffee.

Minelli handed Jane what looked like a letter in a plastic bag. Jane read it aloud. “To the blissfully ignorant. I’m writing again from Los Angeles, California. I see you missed me again. That’s too bad. You will see me again soon amongst the tears and crowns of Lady Liberty. I’m going to love the lights. Until then.” Beneath the message, Red John left his tell tale red smiley face, but this time, it was in what appeared to be a cherry red lipstick.

“We didn’t find any particulates to trace, but do you know what this might mean?”

Lisbon and Jane looked at each other for a moment. Then, Jane handed the letter to Lisbon to read. “Tears and crowns?” Lisbon continued to look at the letter pensively. “And what would Lady Liberty have to do with us? We’re in California.”

“We are, but Lisbon, tears, crowns, Lady Liberty, lights, and lipstick. What do you have when you get all of those things together?”

“A terrorist trying to taunt us?” He rolled his eyes. That much was obvious.

“It’s a beauty pageant. Tears and crowns. Lady Liberty makes me think of Miss America.”

“Love the lights...he’s going to attack the Miss America pageant? On live tv?” Jane nodded.

“Are you sure?” Minelli narrowed his eyes at Jane. Minelli had trust issues with Jane that were always just simmering beneath the surface. 

“As sure as I can be.” responded Jane. “How long do we have?”

“I think it’s in January..” Lisbon took another sip of her coffee. 

“Ok, I will contact the pageant and gather the task force immediately after lunch today. We need to get on this immediately. Hopefully, they will listen to us and postpone the event until we capture Red John. I will see you both after lunch.”

With that, Minelli dismissed them from his office, leaving them to a rather uneventful morning. 

Jane lounged on the couch in Lisbon’s office, while she caught up on paperwork. Or at least that’s what she said she was doing. Jane caught her dozing off a few times, but he was enough of a gentleman not to point it out as he was also known to enjoy an office nap or two. He was able to convince her to get up, hit the shower, and change her clothes. It was an improvement...of sorts. 

Near 2pm, the pair walked to the taskforce meeting area. “Behave. Please. Last time we had one of these meetings and had one of your little light bulb moments, no one outside of our team spoke to me for a month.”

Jane feigned confusion. “And that bothered you?” Smirking, she gave him the reaction he was looking for.

“Heavens, no. I didn’t have to do any awkward lunches for a month, but that’s beside the point. You have to be on your best behavior. You never know when you’re going to need an assist from someone else. Don’t burn your bridges!”

“As if I’d trust any of the bridges that would decline to extend a lunch invite to you.” Lisbon playfully nudged his elbow as he held the door open for her to enter. Agents LaRoche, Haffner, Wainwright, and Minelli were already there. Immediately, Jane noticed Haffner’s glare of hatred. If he were Cyclops, Jane would surely be dust by now. 

Within moments, he heard Haffner speak. “Boss, do we really need Jane on this?” He heard Agent LaRoche harumph in agreement with Haffner. An unlikely duo to be sure, but maybe Lisbon had a point. He could stand to burn fewer bridges. “You know, this would probably go a lot smoother working outside without Jane. He knows how to turn a crapstorm into a real shit sandwich...and usually makes one of us eat it.”

“Agent Haffner, Jane and Agent Lisbon broke the code. Whether you like it or not, Jane is one of our most valuable assets. It certainly can’t hurt to have all hands on deck as we plan.”

“Well, obviously, they’re going to cancel the pageant while we investigate, right?” Haffner rubbed his face and met Teresa’s eyes, which made her shrink in on herself a bit for some reason.

“Actually, no.”

“No?” Lisbon was also of the mind that they should cancel the pageant. Red John did not mess around nor was he one to mess around with.

“No,” their boss said. “I spoke with the folks in charge of running the pageant, and they said that shutting down the pageant for this year is completely off the table. They considered this to be an idle threat, similar to the ones that they get every year.” 

Settling into her chair, Lisbon rolled her eyes. She was a good cop with the patience of a saint, but sometimes, that patience wore thin. “So how do we protect the people at the pageant?”

“Miss America is willing to allow us to run surveillance.”

“Run surveillance?”

“They’re amenable to allowing the FBI access to the pageant for the purposes of running surveillance to find Red John.”

“But that kind of surveillance has to be very difficult, sir. There is a lot happening behind the scenes. How do we surveill all of that without sticking out like sore thumbs? He will know we are there.”

Minelli, and the other men in the room, regarded Lisbon’s words for a moment. “Well, that’s precisely why I offered to send an undercover agent.”

Agent LaRoche, who had been quiet up until this point, finally chimed in. “An undercover agent? With due respect, how do we send an undercover agent into a beauty pageant? I can think of at least two ethical concerns off the top of my head. First, how do we even get an agent into something like that? Second, isn’t it unethical to be...around that? Who could we even send?”

“Typical…” whispered Jane, as a women's size 8 boot connected with his calf, earning a groan from him.

Minelli sent a warning glare their way. “Agent Lisbon, is everything ok?”

“Yes, boss.” 

“It would make most sense to send a woman. We’ve reached an agreement with the reigning Miss California that involves forgetting about numerous outstanding unpaid parking tickets and her reinstating her license. It is easy to replace her. I would like to send Agent Van Pelt and have your team run point, if you can spare her.”

“Absolutely! Should I bring her in?” Minelli nodded, and she pulled out her cell phone to text Van Pelt.

“Assuming we can send in Agent Van Pelt, I think she would be able to handle the situation. She understands tech and she has a personality that lends itself to adapting to this type of situation.” Haffner and Wainwright both giggled at the situation, while Lisbon noticeably averted her eyes and maintained her calm.

The mockery of Teresa Lisbon and Grace Van Pelt never escaped Jane’s attention nor did he let it go unpunished. They mocked Lisbon for being a woman who dared go toe to toe with them and because of him. They mocked Van Pelt mostly because of her youth and beauty...and the fact that Lisbon hand picked her out of the academy for her team. It was jealousy and misogyny rolled into one tidy professional packet. As he thought of how he could specifically embarrass each of them for this round of mockery, Van Pelt entered the room. 

“Agents.” The redhead rookie looked a bit uncertain as to why she was being called into this room. As the rookie on Lisbon’s team, it was quite unusual for her to be in a meeting like this.

Lisbon made room for Grace to sit next to her, as she made her way into the room. “Thank you for joining us, Agent Van Pelt. SSA Minelli would like to ask you to accept an undercover assignment.”

Van Pelt looked incredibly nervous. Even Lisbon could tell, which is why it didn’t shock Jane when he saw Lisbon pat Van Pelt’s hand under the conference table. “Okay. What kind of assignment?”

“As I’m sure you are aware by now, we received intel that Red John intends to attack the Miss America pageant, which is being held in Los Angeles this year. We would like to send you undercover at the pageant.” 

“Send me undercover?”

“To be a contestant in this year’s pageant. It’s coming up in just a few short months.” That earned the sniggers of the men in the room and a look of rage in Lisbon’s eyes. Lisbon didn’t like when folks went out of their way to embarrass one of her agents.

Van Pelt’s eyes shot open wide with fear. She turned and looked at Lisbon. “Boss, can we talk outside for a moment?”

“Yeah.” Lisbon led Van Pelt outside the conference meeting room. They spoke for a few moments, and he saw Lisbon put her hand on Van Pelt’s, indicating a supportive gesture. Even with the blinds down, Jane could read their conversation. This ought to be good, he thought. Lisbon sent Van Pelt away before she returned to the room.

Lisbon sat back down. “Agent Van Pelt won’t be able to accept this assignment.” 

Minelli did a double take. “What?”

“For personal reasons, Agent Van Pelt cannot accept this assignment. Surely, there’s another agent you have in mind.”

“Not really. I thought she would jump at this assignment.” Now, that got a not so subtle eye roll from Lisbon.

“You know, she gets a lot of time in the field, right? This isn’t the only assignment she would ever have. She can’t accept the case for personal reasons, and I think we should respect that.” Jane made a mental note to discuss this with Lisbon later.

“Ok, I accept she has personal reasons. But what about this assignment? Just let Red John have the pageant?” The other men in the room were listening intently to what was turning into a sparring session between Lisbon and Minelli.

“Surely, there’s another female agent in the office that we can send on this assignment.” 

Oh boy, she’s not going to like this, Jane thought to himself as he took a sip of his water. “What about Lisbon?”

Everyone looked at Jane. “What do you want, Jane?”

“No, I mean what if you went undercover at the pageant. You are also a female agent in this building.” Lisbon’s eyes went wide as the men were now engaged in raucous laughter.

“What?”

“You could be the undercover agent.” 

“Jane, I don’t know that that’s the best idea,” added Wainwright. “I’m not sure if Agent Lisbon is suited for this task.” To his left, LaRoche, who headed up their professional responsibility unit, sent a warning glare to Wainwright, who suddenly wished he had not spoken. 

Looking directly at Minelli, who was moments away from full blown panic over his op being blown, Jane responded. “Oh, she’s perfectly suited for it!”

“Jane…” Now, it was Lisbon’s turn to warn him. 

“What? I’m being serious! Lisbon who else knows this case the way you do? Wouldn’t you not only meet the requirements of being a female FBI agent, but also be best suited to protect these contestants? Don’t mind the laughter of these milquetoast men. You know I’m right.” The laughter stopped then. Purposely, Jane had drawn their ire once more to end Lisbon’s embarrassment. “I promise you. I’m not joking. I think you’re the best option for this assignment. You know I wouldn’t be dishonest about this.” He could tell that Lisbon was considering his words. 

Haffner, who had been laughing moments ago, decided to join the chat. “Jane, it’s just that Lisbon isn’t exactly the Miss America type. Are you trying to blow the op before it even starts?”

“You know, Haffner, that’s not exactly the kind of thing you should say about the woman you’re trying to court. I’m not sure you’re sending the kind of message you want to send.” Lisbon went pale as Haffner’s face turned beet red before he shot up from the table and lunged at Jane. Used to this type of kerfuffle, Lisbon immediately jumped to break it up.

“You obnoxious fucker! You think that’s funny? Just wait. My time will come. She won’t be there to protect your punk ass forever.” 

“Agents, please!” shouted Minelli. “Let’s exercise some decorum!” Wainwright walked Haffner, who was still yelling a fair amount of obscenities at Jane, out of the room. That left Jane and Lisbon alone with Minelli and a few other agents. 

“Agents, could you give us the room please?” The other men nodded as they also exited the room. 

As soon as the door was shut, Lisbon began with her apologies. “Sir, I’m so sorry. I should have…”

Minelli duly interrupted her. “Oh please. I understand the situation. Besides, that was quite entertaining to watch. Haffner needs to be checked.” Jane took that to mean a few different things, but he left it at that. Haffner’s interest in Lisbon, and her disinterest in Haffner, wasn’t exactly an office secret.

Lisbon, clearly not bemused, continued. “Well, I am glad someone was entertained.”

“Would you consider it?” The way Minelli and Lisbon spoke to each other when others weren’t there always amused Jane. Most of the time, Minelli came across more like Lisbon’s coach or father figure than her boss.

“Going undercover?”

“Yes. I think Jane made a compelling point about your knowledge and expertise on Red John. I think you’d be a highly valuable and capable asset on the inside. I can’t believe I didn’t have the idea sooner.” 

“Boss, I’m up for anything that will catch Red John, and if that’s this undercover assignment, I will do it.”

Minelli nodded as he pulled out a card. “Then, you’re going to need this. The pageant folks set me up with a beauty consultant named Madeleine Hightower. Apparently, she will get you in shape for the pageant.” Lisbon accepted the card from Minelli.

“Ok, I will reach out and set up an appointment. Does she know to expect me?”

“Well, not you specifically, but she knows we have an agent reaching out to her.”

“I will give her a call! Is that all, sir?”

“Just one more thing. If Agent Haffner or any other agent in this building is harassing you or any agents on your team, please let me know. We do have policies in place against that kind of thing.” She nodded. “You can go.”

“Thanks, sir.” They got up and left the room. As soon as they were in the hallway, Lisbon turned to face Jane. “What the fuck was that?”

“Please, Lisbon. Don’t insult your intelligence or mine. Haffner will mock you in front of the boys but try to sleep with you. Men like him think women are just here to serve their needs. Any man who would do much as hint you’re not beautiful isn’t worthy of you. He needs taken down a peg or three.”

A small part of Lisbon wanted to believe Jane’s words, particularly the part about being beautiful. Lisbon sighed. “Listen, Haffner is not getting close to me. At all. Ever. I know what he’s about, and that’s not what I was talking about. Why would you volunteer me for an undercover assignment like this without even asking me ahead of time?”

“Because you’re the best for the assignment, and I knew it would take them way too long to arrive at that conclusion.”

“Oh, bullshit! I will be lucky if this beauty consultant has the grace not to laugh in my face when we meet in person.”

Jane chuckled at that. “Oh please, Lisbon. Don’t. You’re going to turn on that Lisbon charm, give it a little razzle dazzle, and you will be fine.” He softened his voice. “Trust me on this.”

Lisbon stopped walking and stood in front of Jane. “Ok, well I don’t have much of a choice. I will give this Madeleine woman a call to set up an appointment, but you’re going with me. You’re going to be there with me every step of the way. That’s the trade here. I suffer, and you suffer with me.” Upon reflection, Lisbon realized that was a poor choice of words, but Jane didn’t seem to mind.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way! Oh and how far along is Grace?” Lisbon looked at him stunned. “Come on. You know I can read lips. She would’ve likely taken this assignment. She was very nervous the moment she walked in. Thought she was in trouble for something--I’m assuming it’s the sexual relationship she’s not having with Rigsby that led to her pregnancy.” 

“Seriously, are you always spying on us?”

“I like to know what’s going on around me, and you didn’t answer my question.”

“Well, how can I? I don’t know anything about the personal lives of my agents. Grace confided in me on a strictly personal basis. Until she’s ready to make a public announcement, it is none of my business--or yours. Please respect that.”

“You know, I respect you and Grace a lot. Two kickass women trying to make it in a man’s world. I’m just curious about when I need to buy a gift.” Lisbon laughed.

“Surely, you’ll know by then.” She got serious again. “You know, it’s hard to be taken seriously here. Sometimes, your association with our team makes it a little harder. People don’t take us, mostly me, seriously. Grace couldn’t tell a room full of laughing men who think this whole exercise is at best a joke, and at worse a reason to gawk at a female agent in a swimsuit, that she’s pregnant and can’t accept the assignment. God only knows what jokes they will have about me by tomorrow.”

“And who cares if they do? Lisbon, you’re one of the most dedicated people I know. I meant what I said. Don’t worry about the opinions of those men. They’re boring, insignificant even. None of them have half the courage that you do.”

Closing her eyes and sighing. “I wish it were that simple.”

Jane smiled. “It is. Besides, you already have the respect of the most important man in the building.” She couldn’t help but giggle like a schoolgirl. “See, there’s the critically-acclaimed Lisbon charm.”


	2. Meet Madeleine Hightower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet Madeleine Hightower, but some other stuff happens first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this so far! My goal is to get this story told in six chapters, but as I add a little more to it each day, I question if maybe we won't need a few more chapters! Again, my goal here is character development, Jisbon, character development, beauty pageant stuff, Jisbon, and character development :)

A week after accepting the assignment, Minelli arranged a video conference with the pageant people, believing it would be a good idea for them to put a face to the FBI agent they agreed to let join their pageant.

Once again, Jane and Lisbon made an early afternoon trek to Minelli’s office with Lisbon issuing the usual warnings for him to behave. 

Lisbon knocked on Minelli’s door when they arrived. “Hey boss! Are we early?”

“Oh no. Come on in. I actually hoped I could talk to you two briefly before we get started.”

All three of them sat down at the table in Minelli’s office where Van Pelt had set up the video conferencing equipment an hour or so before. “So we have quite the little situation here. You’re both planning to go undercover?” They both nodded affirmatively, causing the older man to look pointedly at Lisbon. “It’s not typical for our consultants to go undercover.” 

“That’s right, but Red John has never been a typical circumstance.”

“Is it entirely necessary for Jane to go undercover?”

Jane made a noise, at which Lisbon laid her hand on his arm to stop him from speaking. “Boss, what’s this about?”

Minelli sighed. “Jane isn’t exactly known for keeping a low profile very well. I need to know that I can maintain your safety, too. With what happened with Bosco’s team…”

Her face blanched at the mention of her former mentor and colleague. Red John had killed him along with his entire team for getting too close, or as he put it in the letter he sent later to taunt them, not following the rules. Bosco would always be a sore spot for Lisbon. He was a good man, and she’d held his hand as he took his last ragged breath all because some terrorist with an ego wanted to make a point. Sensing he’d lost her at the mention of Bosco, the older man stopped talking, creating an awkward and heavy silence in the room.

“Look, Teresa. I know Bosco’s death is still an open wound for you. You came up with him. He was your friend. Well, he was my friend, too. And I know that he would want me to make sure that we have taken all precautions to make sure you are safe undercover, and that includes reigning in Jane.” While Minelli and Lisbon had a perfectly professional relationship, Jane wasn’t surprised when Minelli reached over and placed a hand on Lisbon’s shoulder, even if he was upset by the implication that he would endanger her.

“If I may, Virgil?” The older man met his eyes. “I think it should be perfectly clear by now if I put anyone in danger it’s always just myself. I would never do anything to endanger Lisbon. Frankly, I’m insulted you think I would.”

“Not intentionally.”

“I would never put her in danger.”

Minelli spoke softer. “Jane, you know as well as we do that Red John is a wildcard. What rhyme or reason does he have? Just because you would never intentionally put her in danger doesn’t mean you wouldn’t actually put her in danger. I need assurances that you intend to keep, that you will play this by the book. I cannot lose another agent.”

Looking at Teresa as she held her mother’s cross between her fingers with a very clear look of worry on her face, he knew he had no choice here. He nodded. “I will follow your play book, but Red John is mine.”

Minelli sat back in his chair, ignoring his declaration. 

Minelli started fumbling with the equipment trying to get the call started, until Lisbon took over, finally getting them on track. On the screen, there were two clean-cut men who appeared to be about middle age, both in varying stages of baldness and wearing business suits. 

“Hi there. This is Supervisory Agent Virgil Minelli. I’m here with Agent Teresa Lisbon and Consultant Patrick Jane.”

“Hello, I’m Gale Bertram. I’m President of the Miss America Organization.” Pointing at the man seated next to him, he continued. “This is Thomas McAllister, the Director of the Miss America Pageant.” 

If Jane were being honest, these were not exactly who he thought the pageant people would be. From the look on Lisbon’s face, he could tell she was thinking the same thing. Though he promised to behave, he couldn’t help himself. “So the Miss America Pageant is run by two men?”

Both men on the screen laughed. Something about that unsettled Lisbon’s stomach, but she just brushed it off as nerves. The stalkier one who had introduced himself as Gale stopped laughing first and answered Jane’s question. “Well, sure it is! At its heart, Miss America is about helping young women find themselves, but it’s also a business. Who else besides businessmen would be able to run it?”

“Oh, I was thinking a former pageant contestant or something. Are women comfortable with two men being in charge and so close to them in such a confined setting?” The other man, McAllister, narrowed his beady eyes at Jane, which earned him a warning “Jane” from Lisbon.

“Now, I’m not sure who you’ve been talking to, but we run a legitimate pageant that’s completely above board.” McAllister’s response immediately put Jane on alert. Obviously, there was something there. He made a mental note to be on alert.

Minelli, deciding it was time to get the conversation back on track before it completely derailed, intervened. “My apologies for Mr. Jane. I just think he had a different idea of who we would be speaking to today.”

“It happens all the time!” Bertram seemed to be the easy going one, another mental note that Jane would tuck away. “So you want to send in an agent undercover?”

“Yes.”

“Is it...Agent Lisbon?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re the undercover agent?” Asked McAllister with a slight hint of something in his voice. She really couldn’t tell if it was amusement, disbelief, or something else.

Before Lisbon could respond, Minelli intervened once more. “Yes, Agent Lisbon is our undercover agent. She has quite an extensive history here at the FBI. She closes cases and exhibits the highest levels of professionalism. Frankly, she’s one of our best agents. She’s definitely up for this assignment.”

Bertram, who Jane was now sure was the politician of the two, responded. “I think what Mr. McAllister is saying is that we just had a different idea of who you would send undercover. This is a serious national-level pageant event. Her presence here has to be believable. And no offense to Agent Lisbon, she doesn’t look like many of our contestants.”

Once again, Lisbon’s nerves were on the rise. Sensing this, Minelli spoke again “Like I said before, you’re getting a great agent. I’m not sure what your other contestants look like, but Agent Lisbon is more than up for this assignment. Our office has arranged for her to work with one of your beauty consultants, Madeleine Hightower.”

“Madeleine Hightower is going to work with Agent Lisbon?” 

“Yes, our office has already set up an appointment with her.” Lisbon responded.

“Oh, well she is one of the best beauty consultants out there. I’m sure she will have you pageant-ready.” Jane noticed that even though Bertram was singing her praises, he didn’t actually believe them. 

McAllister followed Bertram. “That is, if Agent Lisbon wants to put in the work.”

“Mr. McAllister, I definitely intend to put in the work. Maintaining the safety and integrity of the Miss America Pageant is my highest priority.”

“Like I said, she’s one of the best agents in our office.”

The two men on the other end of the chat regarded each other and nodded. “Very well then,” Bertram spoke again. “We look forward to seeing Agent Lisbon when she and the other contestants arrive here in Los Angeles.”

Once the call had ended, Lisbon practically darted out of Minelli’s office. Jane wasn’t far behind her, so she ducked into the women’s bathroom to have a moment to think. A moment at the sink turned into about 10 minutes, at which time Grace entered the bathroom.

“Hey boss, are you alright?” 

“What?” She didn’t notice that she had been crying. Sometimes, even though she would never admit it, stress could make her cry. In any case, she turned her head to dry her eyes.

“Well, Jane told me I should come check in on you. I scheduled that appointment with Madeleine Hightower for you. She said she will meet with you at the end of the month.”

Lisbon nodded at the redhead. “Thank you.” They both stood there awkwardly for a second, neither really sure how to proceed. To Grace, it was obvious that Lisbon needed to talk.

“Is this...about the assignment?”

She sighed. “Yes. I’m not sure I’m the right person for it. Hell, it doesn’t seem like anyone thinks I am right for the assignment, but I guess there’s no other option.”

Grace looked a bit guilty, like a child who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. “I’m sorry about that.”

Lisbon laughed. “Don’t be sorry! Before you know it, you’ll be walking around here with sonogram pictures. You probably got the better deal!”

Grace responded with a bit of apprehension in her voice. “Yeah.”

“I just...I wish I had the confidence that Jane and Minelli seem to have about this assignment. Because no one else thinks I’m the right fit for this. I mean, who could blame them? I raised three younger brothers, and I hardly look like one of those women in the magazines. I know nothing about beauty pageants. My photo could be right next to the definition of ‘tomboy’ in the dictionary.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re not the right fit for the assignment or that you can’t learn what you need to know for the pageant. I don’t really know anything about them either. I can barely walk in heels. At least you have me beat there.” Both women laughed at that.

“It’s called being short. It’s just…” Lisbon started to speak but took a momentary pause. Grace VanPelt was a great agent, and she had earned her full confidence in the field. It was always hard for Lisbon to open up to people, especially those she worked with. Somehow, this felt a little different. “I swear to God, you better not repeat this. I just...never fit in with other girls.” 

Grace narrowed her eyes. “But boss, you get along with me.” 

“Your dad was a football coach, and you call me boss. Of course, we get along. I just never got into fashion things or pageants. Girls at my school didn’t exactly like me. I was actually bullied a bit.”

“And here you are, working to save lives and change the world. Isn’t that what these pageants are supposed to be about? I don’t think these women are any different than us. We share the same goals, but we harness our power in different ways.”

“I suppose so.”

“Can I speak freely for a second?” 

Lisbon nodded and smiled slightly. “I just told you my darkest secrets. I think that gives you a pass to speak freely.” Her sarcasm earned a smile from Grace.

“Do you think Jane would say it’s a good idea if it wasn’t? I mean, he comes up with some crazy plans sometimes but none that go nowhere or are completely un-thought out. I think he sees...your potential to succeed in this assignment, so you should too.” 

The petite brunette regarded the other woman’s words for a moment. She was right. Jane wouldn’t even suggest it if he didn’t think an op like this could succeed. He wouldn’t fool around with an opportunity catch Red John. “Thank you, Grace.” 

“No problem.” Grace reached over and hugged Lisbon before the both got back to work. “You’ve got this, boss.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few weeks later, Lisbon found herself on the six hour drive from Sacramento to Los Angeles to have lunch with Madeleine in a swanky downtown restaurant on the Monday after Thanksgiving. 

“So are you ready to meet with your own personal Yoda?” Jane couldn’t miss the opportunity to needle Lisbon when it presented itself. 

Lisbon snorted from the driver’s seat of her gray SUV. “Laugh it up. This is all your doing. I’m sure you’re going to get a great laugh out of this. At least someone will.”

“Now, Teresa, I would never laugh at you.” Sensing the seriousness in his voice, Lisbon looked over at him briefly. “Now, laughing with you? That’s another story.”

“Oh shut up! Are you going to be this insufferable for the next month?”

“Consider me your Emotional Support Jane!” She slugged him in the arm at that.

“Ow! You’re really going to have to work on not bruising the other contestants up. I’m not sure this is the kind of thing they go for.”

“Oh ha-ha. Those are just for my Emotional Support Jane!”

“I know why you’re nervous. You’re worried about how well you will fit in without people figuring out that you’re a cop immediately.” She rolled her eyes. “You needn’t worry though. I assure you your new Yoda will have you in shape in no time!”

“Please. I’m sure she’s just figuring out which dresses I should wear. It’s not exactly something I have to train to master. I could always pick up Vogue and get the same details. I’m worried I’m going to end up looking like that poor girl in Love & Basketball.”

“What’s that?”

Noticing her momentary slip, she quickly replied: “Nothing.”

Jane sensed something was there and made a mental note to learn what Love & Basketball was. “It doesn’t matter. I have a feeling that there are many details that she will want to work through with you, including how to respond to questions in a more lady-like manner.”

“I hate you.”

“You don’t.”

They continued their banter until they arrived at their destination. He watched Lisbon’s knuckles turn pale as she gripped the steering wheel waiting for the valet. He reached over and placed one of his hands on top of hers. “Lisbon, you’re the best at what you do. Always.” 

She nodded at his words. Jane thought he knew everything about her. Maybe she was an easy read, but what he didn’t know is that she never fit in in large groups of girls. Or how Tracy, Tiffany, and Jessica, girls from the neighborhood, set out to make her life a living hell by teasing her about all manners of things for not dressing right or having the right makeup. She even worked one whole summer to buy new clothes to fit in like the other girls, but Tommy broke his arm. Jimmy needed new baseball cleats. Having brothers to raise always made it hard for her to make friends with other girls. Even after her encouraging conversation with Grace, she wasn’t sure how this assignment would be any different. 

Never one to back away from a challenge though, Lisbon walked into the restaurant with Jane to meet Madeleine. She wore her typical blouse, jacket, slacks, and boots. Of course, she stuck out, but Jane fit right in with his tailored three piece suit. As the host escorted them to their table, Lisbon had never felt more out of her element.

“Agents Lisbon and Jane?” Suddenly, Lisbon was drawn out of her reverie by the words of the very beautiful African-American woman who had just stood up from the table. Lisbon noticed the other woman wore a burgundy dress and strappy gold heels with her hair slicked back and freshly manicured nails. Everything about her was incredibly regal.

“That’s us!” Jane piped out, but was quick to add: “But I am not an agent. Just her.”

“Madeleine Hightower. It’s a pleasure to meet both of you.” Shyly, Lisbon took her hand, followed by Jane. All three took their seats.

“So Agent Lisbon, are you the undercover agent?” 

“Yes, I am. You can call me Teresa.” Madeleine scanned Lisbon with her brown eyes and tilted her head to the side with a smirk.

“You can call me Madeleine. I am one of the foremost beauty consultants in the pageant industry. Please tell me about yourself, Teresa.”

“Well, I’m from Chicago originally. I have three brothers and a growing army of nieces and nephews.” Jane caught Lisbon smiling at that point. “I’ve been a cop for 15 years. I’ve been in the FBI for 10 years. I work in counter-terrorism.”

“What do you do for fun?” Jane laughed. Lisbon kicked him under the table, eliciting an audible gasp from him.

“I read, watch sports, listen to music…”

“Yeah, there’s a Spice Girls CD that she just absolutely loves. And you should see her when the Bears play on Sunday.” Lisbon shot him a warning glare. She was trying her best to behave, but she could tell he wasn’t going to meet her half way. 

Madeleine smiled widely. “And what about you, Mr. Jane?”

“Patrick is fine. I’m just a consultant.”

“What do you do for fun?”

“Why do you need to know?” 

“Well, you interrupted Teresa. I just thought you needed our attention.” 

Jane grinned at her like a Cheshire cat. “Well played.” Lisbon had never seen someone handle him so smoothly.

After the waiter brought out their order and they finished their food, Madeleine sipped from her wine glass as she looked Lisbon over once more. “I’ll admit. You’re a bit rougher around the edges than what I usually work with. I didn’t know what exactly to expect from a female FBI agent.”

Lisbon was immediately uncomfortable as all of her fears reignited at once. Madeleine must have sensed her discomfort because she quickly picked up where she left off. “Oh honey, don’t take it that way. I was just imagining a lot more work. Your sense of fashion and grooming can use some help, and I can tell I’m going to have to work with you on your interviewing skills. You seem to clam up, but I know you’re not truly afraid to speak. You’re a cop. I have no doubt I can get you where you need to be within the next month. We just have to get you to repurpose your skills.”

“Repurpose my skills?”

“Darling, we are going to take what you have and make you a beauty queen.”

Jane smiled widely once more, but Lisbon was unsure how to react to Madeleine’s words. “I told her she would be a perfect fit for this job.”

Madeleine grinned again, but this was somehow different. Lisbon couldn’t quite put her finger on it. “Let’s get started tomorrow. I work with a team who will provide you with a full makeover from head to toe. For the pageant, you will have to be thoroughly and properly groomed. This week, we will work on a regimen. See what skin care and hair styles work. I will also get in touch with a few designers who owe me some favors. We are a little behind the curve here, but it’s ok.”

“Ok.”

“What’s your diet and exercise regimen like?” Jane laughed out loud, while both Madeleine and Lisbon glared at him.

“What? I’m assuming hot wings and beer are about to go bye-bye.” He did a mock hand wave as Lisbon exhaled sharply.

“I don’t always eat the best, but I run 4 times a week and do pilates at least 3 times a week usually.”

“So your exercise is great! We just need to focus on not building too much muscle.” Lisbon nodded in understanding. “Now, I will also get a nutritionist to come speak to you this week. No need to panic, but the slightest fluctuations can mean a dress doesn’t fit at pageant. I’ve seen it happen before, and it is brutal.”

“Better go crazy tonight.” Jane feigned interest in his phone so he could avoid the rage in her eyes.

“Patrick, what exactly will be your role here?”

“I’m a consultant. I consult...exclusively for Teresa.”

“When you consult for Teresa, do you ever provide a little support?” The brunette agent perked up at this line of questioning.

“Of course, I…”

“Well, good! Your job will be to provide support to Teresa leading up to the pageant. As you so keenly pointed out, she will do well with the right tools. One of those is a supportive partner who doesn’t tease her at every chance he can.”

“Well, she teases me. In fact, just a little bit ago, she kicked me under the table.”

Narrowing her eyes at him, Lisbon could tell Madeleine was a very no-nonsense type of woman. “Patrick, I think we both know that’s not teasing as much as trying to reign you in. Help us make this transition easy and keep yourself reigned in.” Now, her smile reached her green eyes.

Patrick looked down at his hands like a little boy who had just been caught doing something wrong. “Of course, I am here to support Teresa in whatever she needs to help us prevent this attack and capture Red John.”

Madeleine seemed to somehow sit up straighter at that. “I’m glad we are on the same page. We are going to support Teresa as she enters the pageant so she can do what she needs to do behind the scenes.”

Lisbon could tell their lunch session had wound down, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea for them to get checked into their rooms. Van Pelt would want to get started on surveillance equipment. “I’m going to go get the check and get the car brought around.”

“If you’re one of the most sought after consultants, why are you available for Lisbon on such short notice?” She stiffened slightly before leaning back in her chair.

“Who says I wasn’t already working with someone and felt called to do my patriotic duty like you?”

“Please. We both know that’s not true.”

She put her napkin on the table. “No, it’s not. The truth is I haven’t had a client in years. Not since the incident where my client was stripped of her title.” She blinked a few times, with a distant look in her eyes, before continuing. “They found out she was working for Red John as some sort of low level environmental terrorist. Before she took her own life, she was sure to place the blame directly on me. She said it was all of the pressure I put her under that made her go to work for him. That I broke her and turned her into a terrorist’s pawn. Without a shred of proof besides the words of a deranged young woman, I lost my entire business and livelihood because of Red John. I haven’t worked in the pageant world since then. Do you know what kind of monster they believe me to be to turn a girl into a terrorist? When I got the call that Teresa was in need of a consultant to try to draw this terrorist out, I thought it couldn’t hurt to get back in the game. Maybe I could make a splash and help catch a terrorist. Clear my name in the process. Does that answer your question, Patrick?”

Jane thought about her words for a bit. He finally spoke his truth. “He killed my wife and my child.”

Placing her hand on top of his, Madeleine softened at his words. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. That’s why I work with Lisbon. My role with her is to track him down and to put an end to his activities forever. I hate that he has the power to ruin lives like he does. It’s why I knew Lisbon would be perfect for this assignment.” Knowing that he had her full attention, he continued. 

“Others don’t see her the way I do. She’s absolutely beautiful and can do anything she sets her mind to, which includes bringing Red John down. To many of the men she works with, she’s nothing but a joke or an amusement. They respect her though because they have no choice. Boss man loves her like she’s his daughter. In fact, I’m sure they will be here in the next few weeks laughing it up at her expense and taking any chance they can to belittle her. You needn’t worry about how she will react to any of those pressures though because she’s a very serious woman. She will give you 110%, all while keeping me in check to boot.”

The woman sitting across from him smiled widely. “Patrick, does she know?”

She caught him a bit off guard. “Know? Know what?”

She simply tapped his hand before standing up from the table. “I think you know what I mean. You just told me there are two reasons that you suggested her for this assignment. I’m rather certain you only admit the one reason to yourself.” Shaking her head, she continued. “I look forward to working with you both.”

After they finished talking, Jane and Madeleine parted ways. Jane found Lisbon in her car as she patiently waited outside for him. 

“Wow, she was kind of intense, huh? I think I like her.” Jane was the first to break the silence as they headed to get checked into their hotel rooms. 

“Of course she was intense! It’s her job to be intense.”

He hummed in agreement. “Are you less nervous now?”

“Fuck no. I still don’t know why it’s me. I get your faith in me. I appreciate it. Truly. I am just not sure about this.”

“Come on. Don’t be a grumpy princess, Lisbon. You’re going to get all made up and maybe even win a pretty crown. We may even catch Red John. You will be fine.”

Glaring daggers at him, Lisbon continued their ride in silence. Or at least she chose to ignore his presence for the next 30 minutes as they battled LA traffic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the conversation between Lisbon & Van Pelt seemed natural enough. One thing I wish the show had given us were more moments between between these characters where they're just talking like this because it's already radical to have Lisbon as boss mentoring a younger female agent. Same with Hightower and Lisbon. The scene itself was inspired by something I found online comparing Robin and Amanda that I didn't agree with and honestly found kinda gross. My goal here was to find a way to address one's insecurities while uplifting her (but not bashing other women). I'm open to how others take that! The next chapter is mostly team fluff before we jump into Lisbon's day from hell: consultants, techs, and talent finding ;)


	3. Let's Get This Party Started

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which we get a lot of team and Jisbon fluff before Lisbon's big "transformation." Thank you for all of your reviews/kudos so far!!

The FBI put them up in a rather nice hotel, or at least nicer than they were accustomed to when working cases. For Lisbon’s training, they were staying in downtown Los Angeles. She would have to move to the venue with the other contestants in Santa Monica in a few weeks. After meeting Madeleine, her consultant’s demands and tastes probably required such a nice hotel.

Before approaching the reception desk, she had to fish through her bag for her undercover identity information. Before they left Sacramento, both she and Jane were provided with undercover documents including a passport, driver’s license, credit card, and check book. Minelli had issued a stern warning about not getting too crazy with spending, but that was mostly aimed at Jane. 

Opening her passport, Lisbon wished she had the sense to check it before she left the office. When she read her undercover name, she almost started laughing. Surely, it was a joke--at her expense as was pretty standard in their office. She took a peek at Jane, and he didn’t seem to have a similar reaction to his name. It was probably something more sensible. Jane would burn a bridge, and people would get their payback directly on her for having him around in the first place. Rolling her emerald eyes and heaving a sigh, Lisbon approached the reception desk.

“Hi, welcome to The Westin. Are you here to check in?”

“Uh, yes. Gracie Lou Freebush.” She heard Jane’s just barely audible gasp as she mentioned her name and looked back at him with one of her “don’t you dare” looks. Graciously, he nodded at her.

“Ok, Mrs. Freebush. And Mr. Freebush?” The receptionist looked at Jane. Ok, that did make Lisbon almost laugh. Instead, she swallowed it down.

“Uh, actually, it’s Mr. Bailey. Phineas Bailey.” She noticed his look of barely noticeable exasperation. They got him, too. Lisbon looked at him inquisitively, and he gave her an “I’ll explain later” look. Thankfully, the receptionist didn’t seem to notice Jane and Lisbon trying to feel out their new names. 

“Ok. It looks like you have a suite on the 6th floor.”

“A suite?” She was not sure she was prepared to live in a suite with him for two weeks. Suddenly, she was very self-conscious about what she packed for this trip, especially considering the shared living space and that she was told her personal belongings would remain here once she had her pageantry wardrobe.

“Yes, per your request when you booked. Was that not correct?”

Lisbon was unsure because she didn’t book the rooms. This was all set up through logistics. “No, that’s correct! I was just making sure.”

“Ok great! Here are your room keys. Do you need help getting up to your suite?”  
Winking at her, Jane told the young receptionist: “No, I think we can manage. Thanks, doll.” Lisbon never understood how he could just do that and make women gush. The poor receptionist was practically in a puddle.

He took both of their bags as they walked toward the elevator. “Phineas Bailey?”

With a sigh, he averted his eyes in shame and responded. “That’s Barnum & Bailey.” 

“Oh.” Suddenly, all she could see was rage. She’d heard some of the guys calling Jane a “circus freak” or a “carnie” before. She didn’t like it when they spoke like that, even if Jane seemed to let it roll off his shoulders. As his supervising agent, she took it upon herself to remind them of the decorum owed to a colleague. He wasn’t embarrassed of his past, but they used it like a sword to attack him and tell him he was lesser because of it. He didn’t have a stable home life or a fancy college degree, but he was every bit as important as anyone else in that building. Besides, he actually managed to close cases. “I’m sorry, Jane. I didn’t know. I hadn’t even seen my new identity until just then.”

“No need to apologize. You seemed genuinely surprised. I’d say they got you, too. I mean, Freebush?” They shared a laugh at that. “It sounds like you might expect a gift card for a waxing center this Christmas!”

“Oh, hush!” 

They entered the suite, scoping it out before arbitrarily choosing a bedroom. The suite had a large living area with hardwood floors, a fluffy sofa that Jane was already scoping out, and a large, flat screen tv. There was a small kitchenette off to the side where they could make his tea and her coffee. The bedrooms were huge. Both of them had king sized beds with large bathrooms complete with a garden spa tub and walk in shower. Once she spotted the spa tub, she knew exactly how she would be spending this evening.

Meeting Jane out in their shared living space where he was already lounging on the couch, she thought it would be best to lay out some ground rules. “Alright, Jane. Here are the rules.”

“Rules, rules, rules. Blah!”

“Don’t be a child! Rules make the world go round.”

“Whatever, copper.” He winked his baby blues at her. In moments like these, she could definitely sense what it was that made people, especially women, bend to the will of Patrick Jane so easily.

“I’m sure it’s going to be crazy in here with all of Madeleine’s people here. Van Pelt will be by in a little to talk about surveillance and get something set up in here. She’s going under as my sister, so she will be in and out. I’m not sure where the rest of the task force will set up. Leaving the doors open when possible will help me keep an eye on you and what’s going out here at all times.”

“Teresa Lisbon! If you wanted to see me naked…” Garnering the exact reaction he was going for as Lisbon’s face turned bright red, he put his hands up in mock surrender.

“Do I need to remind you that you promised to behave?”

“I’m behaving. So what are the rest of these rules?”

“Let me sleep.”

“And?”

“Stay out of my room. And don’t wander off chasing leads down alone. If you figure something out, let me or another member of the task force know.” Lisbon pondered her own words for a second. “Actually, it’s probably best if you just talk to me, and I can redirect your comment.”

He smiled. “I think I can handle those rules. Anything else? Lights out at 8pm? No guests?”

“It’s not camp, and no. Nothing that I can think of. Just please don’t piss anyone off. We have several weeks to go on this assignment, and we need this to pay off.”

“You got it.”

“I’m going to check in with Van Pelt, and see where they are.”

“Make sure the baby is doing well.”

“Jane!”

“I’ll behave! I promise! While you’re doing that, I’ll figure out what we’re doing tonight.”

“What we’re...Jane, we are on an assignment! I just talked to Madeleine. I read her in on our covers and gave her our room number. My personal phone is off. Grace will be bringing me my cover phone. Madeleine told me to expect her at 8am sharp. I am taking a bath and reading. Then, I’m going to sleep. That’s what I’m doing tonight. I have an early morning, and I need to get in a run before it starts.”

“Oh, don’t be such a bore! You’ve got to eat dinner. I say we go crazy. One last time. You can read your boring book when we get back.” 

She just flashed a teasing smile at him and shook her head. “You can do whatever you’d like to do tonight. I am staying low and relaxing.” He recognized the sternness in her voice that she usually reserved for the team, but he also knew how easily Lisbon would succumb to food and beer over relaxation.

“Ok, I’ll find us a restaurant!” She rolled her eyes and walked away into her bedroom. When she returned to their shared living space, Jane noticed she had put on a red tank top and jeans. “What? It’s just dinner. I didn’t suggest clubbing, but if you’re up for it…”

“Don’t you dare!” He just laughed. 

Some time later, there was a knock on their door. Rigsby, Cho, and Van Pelt were all standing outside. Though they were dressed down, the guys in jeans in ball caps and Van Pelt in a sundress, Jane could still easily make them as cops. He hadn’t quite worked out how to get them to look less conspicuous.

“Hey, boss!” Rigsby exclaimed as he entered the room.

“Maybe keep it down a bit?” Cho was always there to remind Rigsby of situational awareness. Or as Jane had heard others say around the office: Cho was the Bert to Rigsby’s Ernie. “How’s it going here?”

“Oh. We’re good! You just missed all of Lisbon’s rules of living in the same suite.”

“Wait. You guys got a suite?” Van Pelt was a little shocked. 

“Apparently, that’s what we booked.” Their boss shrugged her shoulders as she slid into a leather jacket. He noticed how she tended to cover herself more around other agents. Always one for professionalism, Jane quipped to himself.

“This place is really nice.” Rigsby said as he looked around. The tall, dark-haired agent had a good heart which made him a lot more entertaining and tolerable than most of the other agents at the FBI to Jane.

“Yeah, it’s a lot nicer than the place the rest of us are staying a few blocks away from here.” As always, Cho got directly to the point.

Lisbon just shook her head with a slight smile. “Well, I imagine that’s because starting at 8 in the morning, I will have a team of beauty consultants and technicians in and out of this room. I don’t see anyone else lining up to be poked and prodded and done up like Cinderella. So suck it up, ok?” They all nodded at their boss’s words, which always amused Jane. The amount of respect, and awe on Grace’s part, they held for her was endearing. “So what are we going to do?”

“I’m looking for a restaurant to eat at tonight, if anyone has suggestions! Our beauty queen here can’t have any real food, or beer, after tonight! We’ll call it the last supper party.”

She rolled her eyes, knowing full well that Jane would get her in on his shenanigans, against her better judgment to stay in and brace herself for tomorrow. “Ok, Van Pelt, what kind of tech do you think we should set up here? You’ll probably be the one with me most of the time during this beauty stuff. You’re under as my sister, so you can move freely.”

Grace nodded affirmatively. “I have my documents right here. I’m...Darla Freebush?” Grace looked at Lisbon inquisitively, but she just sent the redhead a knowing look. “And you want surveillance in the suite?” At that, Jane waved his hand under his chin, indicating that he absolutely did not want to live under surveillance 24/7. Grace looked at Jane, and then back to her boss. “I thought you would want some privacy?”

“Well, we need something to monitor who is coming in and out. What if Red John has an associate in and out? That reminds me that we will want to sweep for bugs each day.”

“I can take care of that, boss.” Cho responded.

“I’m with Van Pelt. I’m not sure I want Ray Haffner spying my every move.” At that, the entire team paused and looked at each other with a shared grimace. 

Cho was the first to speak up. “I have to agree with Jane here. I don’t think we need cameras in your living space. Rigsby and I will do most of the in person surveilling. Your safety and catching Red John are our priorities, but I don’t think we need to have video on you at all times to do that.” He had no real opinions on Haffner...until he had to intervene in a situation between them last year. Haffner spent a lot of time heckling Lisbon and questioning her work. Yet, he took every opportunity he could to come on strong. He didn’t like the idea of colleagues spying on his boss and friend like that. As Lisbon’s second in command, he felt they could handle surveillance better.

For her part, Lisbon knew this assignment put her in the spotlight and her co-workers would be observing her. She had expected to lose a bit of privacy. “Ok, so how do we monitor who’s coming and going?”

“How about comms?” Van Pelt came up with a good middle ground. As their tech person, this was her bread and butter. “You guys could wear comms when out and about?”

“Well, the only problem with that is that if it’s a traditional comm, the techs will see it.” 

“What about something like a bracelet, or a necklace? Could you wire that up?” Jane was up to something. She could tell.

“It might take some time, like a day or two, but I can get it bugged. That wouldn’t be the worst idea. It could also help get surveillance inside the pageant spaces. Maybe audio only to help maintain privacy?”

Something not too conspicuous with just audio was good. “I think that’s a good idea. Let’s see what we can come up with.” Van Pelt nodded.

“Actually, there’s a guy here in town who owes me a favor. I can probably provide a bracelet, if Grace can provide her spy gear.” Jane had his phone in hand and was presumably sending a text message. Ever since Lisbon and the team started goading him last year over his archaic use of technology, he started texting a bit more.

“What kind of favor?”

“The kind you’d like to not know about.”

“Jane, we are officers of the law.”

“Spare me the speech, woman. It’s a poker debt.” 

She just shook her head. “Fine. Ok. Nothing ostentatious. Cho and Rigsby, have we done a sweep of the pageant venue? Do we have a floor plan of that venue and of the hotel? We need those plans. After today, Grace will check in with me here while you guys man the command center. Cho you’re in charge until the rest of the taskforce gets here. I’m not sure when the rest of the taskforce will be here, but when they are, we are all to cooperate and work with them as a team.”

“Got it, boss!” They called out in unison. She looked pointedly at Jane, who had heard her, but chose not to acknowledge her words. He was always the toughest when it came to working with others outside of the team. He didn’t roll with the punches quite as well. While she found his loyalty endearing, his need to get back at others could make work challenging sometimes. 

Most of the rest of their afternoon was spent working to prepare the suite with the logistics they would need for the coming weeks. At around 5pm, Jane started coaxing them to wrap up for the evening, citing the end of the work day and the fact that he had made dinner reservations.

“I really think I should stay in. I can just order room service.”

“Come now, woman. You wouldn’t want to let your agents down, would you?” All three of the agents looked at her.

“I wouldn’t be let down, but I am actually quite hungry.” Rigsby and Van Pelt laughed at Cho’s statement, while Lisbon looked down so they wouldn’t catch her smile. It was an old habit of hers, but Jane wanted to tell her she needn’t worry about showing her softer side in front of this group. They were good people, and besides, she already revealed that side of herself to them in other ways.

“Come on, boss. What do you say? Dinner can’t hurt anything. You’ll be back here soon enough to turn in early.” Rigsby added.

“Besides, we are in LA!” Grace was clearly the most excited about being in LA.

Lisbon turned and looked at Jane. “I cannot believe you used them against me. Where are we going?”

Ignoring her question, Jane continued making plans. “You guys are driving, right?” Rigsby nodded affirmatively. “Great! I’ll drive me and Lisbon. I’ll send you the restaurant’s address. Our reservations are for 7:30. Lisbon and I need to run an errand. We will meet you there.” He dangled her keys--the ones she had packed away in her bag--before her eyes. She just shook her head at him in both disbelief and questioning exactly what errand they had to run.

Her question was answered when they pulled up to a jeweler in Beverly Hills. She looked at him with a questioning look, but she didn’t actually have to ask because Jane just told her. “His name is Sammy. He owes me for a poker debt. He owns this shop, and we are here to pick something out for Grace to wire up for you.”

She rolled her eyes and laughed a bit. “Am I the only one in California who doesn’t owe you a poker debt?”

“Dear Teresa, you are the only one who can beat me in poker. For now…” 

“Forever.”

They entered the shop. Lisbon had been in jewelry shops numerous times before. Though, this shop had some rather sophisticated pieces. Surely, some of them cost more than her annual salary. She wasn’t sure exactly what they would find here that his poker debt would cover even if he was an expert at swindling desperate gamblers out of their money.

“Hey, Sammy!”

“Jane, it’s never a pleasure to see you.” The dark-haired, middle aged man in a suit replied to Jane. “I guess you’re here to shake me down on the debt I owe you?” Jane just nodded. “Well, what can I get for you?”

Turning up the Jane charm to 1000, he continued. “I need a bracelet for the lady. She’s very special. You see, she’s about to compete in Miss America. She needs a good luck charm.”

“She’s competing in Miss America and she’s hanging with you? You really are a lucky bastard. The floor is open to you. Pick what you want.” 

Jane waved her over to a bracelet he was eyeing. “How about this one, darling?” She noticed how he slipped into a pet name.

She looked at it. It was a very nice looking bracelet. To her specifications, it wasn’t extremely flashy. Actually, it was quite simple--but beautiful. “Yeah, if it’s the one you think we should get.”

“So that one is a Cartier piece. 24 carat yellow gold with 4 carat diamonds. Each diamond inlay there is a carat.”

She wasn’t into jewelry, but she knew that sounded expensive. “I don’t know. Maybe we should look at something a bit more simple. My good luck charm doesn’t have to be that fancy.” Sammy shook his head in agreement with her.

Jane just waved his hand at her. “Can she try this one on please?”

Sammy slid the gold bracelet on Lisbon’s left wrist. From her reaction once the bracelet was clasped onto her wrist, he could tell she loved it. It definitely looked good on her.

“We will take it.”

Sammy sighed. “That’s a $15,000 bracelet.” Then, she audibly gasped, feeling like the bracelet was burning her wrist.

“I know. I believe you owe me $50,000, so why don’t we knock $20,000 of what you owe me and call it a day?”

She heard the jeweler grumble, but he got a box for the bracelet and sent them on their way. Lisbon left the jewelry store wearing that Cartier bracelet--to her amazement that she was walking around with this beautiful piece on her arm. Though she really did like the bracelet, she had to remind herself this was just an assignment. Once it was over, she would give it back to Jane. She couldn’t keep such an expensive gift, even if it made her hand look absolutely stunning.

He drove them closer back to their hotel to an upscale Italian restaurant. When they arrived at their destination, Lisbon’s face lit up. “Of course, I chose Italian for your last supper party. It’s your favorite!” She flashed him a wide smile.

“Aw, thanks! I don’t think I ever told you Italian is my favorite.” She shook her head. Keeping secrets from him was tough. The man noticed everything!

“Please, Lisbon. I’ve seen what you can do to a plate of carbonara. And if I can figure out how badly you wanted a pony, well...” She nudged his elbow as they walked into the restaurant to meet the rest of their party.

“Hey, guys.” She greeted her team as they arrived at their table.

“Oh my God. Is that Cartier?” Of course, Grace immediately noticed the bracelet on her wrist.

Jane responded. “It is. Good eye, Grace. This is the bracelet we got for audio. Do you think you can work with this?”

“Um, can I see it?” Lisbon unclasped the bracelet and handed it to her agent.

The redhead studied the bracelet, but Jane had the distinct impression Grace knew the answer before she asked for the bracelet. She just wanted to see it up close. “I can definitely work with this. I can work on it tomorrow. Do you mind if I take it with me?” 

Lisbon looked to Jane for his approval as it was technically his proper, but he gave her nothing as he sipped his white wine. “It makes no difference to me. It’s your bracelet. Just don’t lose it, Grace. It’s a $20,000 bracelet.”

“Jane, it’s your property. You know I can’t actually keep this bracelet. We can use it for this assignment, but it’s an expensive gift. In fact, we should probably run the paperwork on it in case anything happens. It’s too expensive...”

“It’s yours. It will always be yours. Besides, you deserve something nice. It looks magnificent on you.” They exchanged a soft look between them. His eyes challenged her to continue her protest, making it clear that he would never accept the bracelet back from her. They were in their own world for a moment, until they remembered the other three agents with them.

“Boss, it is a really nice bracelet. There are no rules against accepting a gift from a friend as far as I know.” Rigsby came to Jane’s defense, though he didn’t need it by this point. He could tell by the look of admiration on her face that he had already won. She deserved the bracelet and much more.

“Yes, because we always follow the rules.” It was a sarcastic, but pointed remark, that elicited a blush from Rigsby and Van Pelt, a guffaw from Cho, and a smile from Jane. She simply shook her head with a smile, placing the bracelet in its box and handing it to Van Pelt. “Whatever. We will sort this out later. I’m starving. Let’s order!”

The five of them sat and dined for about 3 hours, talking about all manners of subjects unrelated to work. Lisbon always enjoyed sharing a meal with her fellow agents, and she wanted to be mindful to do it more often. 

After a plate of lobster carbonara, a few glasses of wine, and some cake that was to die for, Lisbon was officially stuffed. “Guys, I think we should call it a night! Grace, I will see you sometime tomorrow once I am done with Madeleine. See if you can’t get the bracelet wired up between now and then. It will make it easier to keep track of what’s happening. I just want all of you, especially Jane, to remember that I expect the highest levels of professionalism and decorum from all of you while we are on this assignment.”

“Yes, boss.” All three agents said in unison before walking back to their own car. Jane wondered how they could just submit to orders like that, but then, he figured it had to be something they taught them at Quantico or something.

Once Jane and Lisbon got back to their suite, he collapsed on the white sofa in the living area as Lisbon went to her room. She made good use of her spa tub, even reading a bit of her book in the tub. After her bath, she came out of her room in her Bears jersey and joined Jane on the couch in the living area. 

“What are you watching?” She feigned ignorance even though she immediately knew what he was watching. Of course, it was one of her favorite movies. She was just surprised that he was watching it. She had actually walked in on one of her favorite scenes of the movie.

“Hmm?” Jane was clearly entranced in the movie. “Oh. Just a movie a very special agent mentioned earlier called Love & Basketball. I can see why it appeals to you.”

“Please…” As he cut her off, she immediately expected to be teased for liking such a romantic movie. 

“No, no. I get it. A man and a woman both play basketball; they’re both professional athletes. You love sports, so that’s understandable. He gets all of the acclaim and is treated better even though she’s just as good as, if not better than, him.” He paused for a moment, omitting the rest of his observation about Lisbon’s own treatment at the FBI. “They fall in love. Everyone loves a love story, and this one is a good love story: two people who know each other and who really get what the other is going through fall in love. What’s not to love about it? And the woman? She’s an absolute trailblazer in a man’s world. I can see the appeal.”

“Well, she’s not just a trailblazer; she’s the best.”

“Oh please, are we about to end up in some conversation like when someone doubted whether the Bulls would ever win another championship? You know, you guys really need to reign in the home team pride.” Now, he was teasing.

“Not at all--because we know they will.” She flashed him a toothy smile that said she knew something he didn’t. “I meant that she’s the best because the character is actually loosely based on Cynthia Cooper. She played basketball for USC in the 80s. I watched as many of their games as I could get my hands on. I even fancied myself a basketball player for a bit until I realized I am vertically challenged. Monica’s career reflects Cynthia’s career, but the movie is fictionalized with this love story that’s...it’s really hopeful.”

“A woman who focuses on her career in a male-dominated world also finds her equal and her love in it?”

“I guess.” She answered rather softly, indicating to him that he had guessed exactly why she loved this film but was maybe shy, or embarrassed, to say more. It didn’t happen often, but sometimes, she surprised him. He regarded the now quiet brunette sitting next time with wet hair, wearing what he was sure was her favorite sleepwear: an oversized Bears jersey. She was now completely lost in the film that he imagined she watched many times before. Not for the first time that day even, he reflected on how absolutely beautiful Teresa Lisbon was and how she was truly a mystery, even to him sometimes.

Once the movie ended, he flipped to a local news channel. “Do you think I’ll be able to watch the Bears game on Sunday?” 

He flashed her one of his infamous grins. “I think we’ll have to see what Madeleine has planned for you on Sunday.”

Lisbon groaned, putting her head in her hands. “I’m a simple woman. Why do I feel like my life is about to become complicated?”

“Oh, don’t think of it like that. Everything is going to be fine. I promise!” The famous last words of Patrick Jane, she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will get into Lisbon's big day. She might even find a talent...in any case, it's probably coming faster than this one! These take so long because I keep editing them the more I write lol.


	4. Dancing Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Teresa Lisbon meets her beauty team and finds her talent. Might be some Jisbon in between there. Might want to have the Spice Girls (either the Spice Girls album or the Greatest Hits album) cued up for this one ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're an aesthetician or MUA reading this, I am so sorry. I know nothing. I did some research and used common sense best guesses based on experience!

True to her word, Madeleine arrived at 8am sharp the next morning. Lisbon was up at 6am for her run and a quick shower, so she was waiting for her with her first cup of coffee. When Lisbon opened the door to let Madeleine into their suite, she was startled as a flurry of people with bags and totes came through the door just behind Madeleine.

“Good morning! I hope you got a good night’s rest, Gracie. I assume we will be working in your bedroom?” Even this early in the morning, Madeleine looked quite sharp and well put together in a flowy leopard print dress and heels. Lisbon was in jeans and had her hair in a messy bun. Suddenly, she felt out of place in her own suite. Of course, Jane was still asleep--or at least had the good sense to make himself not known to her this early in the morning--so he wasn’t around to make this...better? Worst?

“Um, yeah, sure.”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Answer your questions with either ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ We will be working on your interviewing and elocution skills at all times. Also, if you need something repeated, it’s ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch that. Could you please repeat it?’” Even as she was lecturing her client, she was moving and directing people into place.

“Ok, Gracie, let’s meet our pageant team.” Lisbon nodded and waved shyly at the six people standing in front of her. 

Pointing at each of them one by one, Madeleine made introductions. “This is Tom, and next to him is George. They are aestheticians, and they will be working on your skin care needs. You will need to be waxed from head to toe, have a full body scrub, and a full body massage. Though not all on the same day. We will get to that later.” While the massage seemed quite appealing, she heard the word “waxing” from Madeleine, which frankly, she had dreaded.

Not missing a beat, Madeleine continued. “Next to George is Zoey. She is a makeup artist, and her goals for now will be determining what products work best for your skin and determining which looks we will want during the pageant. Up next, we have Brittany who is your hairstylist and Kayla who is your manicurist. They will also spend quite a bit of time experimenting with looks so that we are ready to go during the pageant. At the end there is Max. He will be styling you, and you’ll probably become best friends. Today, he will be measuring you and going back to work with his team to style you for all of the pageant events.”

“It’s nice to meet all of you. Thank you for agreeing to work with me.”

“Ok, well it’s time to get busy. I think we will get Max to measure you first, so that he can get going.” With that the others exited with Kayla, as though they had heard a command that Teresa herself missed. Looking at the young African-American man with dark hair, Madeleine kept issuing her orders. “Max, you said you might have some styles to bring over within a week or so? I need to see her in them immediately. We will need dresses for pageant meeting events, evening wear, and swim wear. Maybe even a sundress or two. She needs an entire wardrobe, so I need to start seeing it immediately. What are your thoughts on cuts for her?”

“Do you mind taking your jacket off, sweetie?” Almost as soon as she complied with his request, he pulled out his tape measure and started pulling her in different directions and writing down numbers as he kept talking like nothing was happening. It all seemed very personal, but impersonal, at the same time. “Lovely! Well, I think she has great shoulders so we can play with strappy designs and cutouts. It’s good that we are not boxed in there. You have a lot of freckles on your shoulders. What’s the plan there?”

She looked at Madeleine in confusion. “He’s asking if we are planning to cover them.”

“Oh.”

Madeleine continued talking, helping her through the process. “I don’t imagine you tan, do you?”

“Not really. I tend to burn instead of tan, so I try to avoid it. I use sunblock if I’m outside.”

She heard her stylist make a noise. “Well, at least you will continue to have nice skin as you age.”

Madeleine just kept going, but she had a look like she was thinking over something quickly. “Actually, no. We will not cover them. Let’s embrace them. I think our style theme with Gracie should be ‘natural beauty.’ Less is more. There’s no need to torture her with treatment upon treatment and more time in the makeup chair than necessary. Besides, they’re adorable and add to your charm. Tom and George will have more guidance for us on the skin care routine we will need.” 

Again, Lisbon nodded, not really understanding what anyone could do about the freckles she had carried for well over 30 years now. Her mother had always taught her to carry them with “Lisbon pride,” as she called it.

“Ok, so that covers my next question. I’m thinking colors: black, deep greens--my dear you have beautiful green eyes--maybe even cream or white. Those would accentuate your skin tone and hair color to highlight your lovely features.”

“I like the colors, but what ideas are you thinking for the cut of the evening gown? I’m seeing A-line maybe?”

“You know she could pull off a lovely sheath style too, really cinch in that waist and accentuate those hips that she’s hiding. Just looking, I can tell she has the hips to make that work. Now, I think we may want to go longer for the evening look. Honey, how are you in heels? Are you at a 4 inch? 5 inch?”

“I’m sorry? I don’t understand the question. Could you repeat that please.” Madeleine nodded at her approvingly in how she expressed her question.

“How high of a heel can you wear?”

“Well, my boots are usually 3 inches, I think.”

“Stiletto?”

“No, they’re more of a block heel.”

Madeleine intervened. “We can work with her on the heels. I think she’s going to need a 4 inch stiletto at least. Maybe shoes with a backstrap or closed heel. I definitely agree about the longer evening gown. It will make her look taller. Her meeting dresses could be shorter. Gracie, do you have a preference?”

“For the length of my dress?”

Her consultant looked at her sternly. “Please rephrase that into a proper sentence.”

“Are you asking if I have a preference for the length of my dress?”

“Yes.”

“I suppose any length is fine.”

Marcus nodded. “That’s good to know! It makes my job a bit easier. Traditional undergarments for her?”

“What do you mean by undergarments?” Teresa asked.

“We have to make sure you have appropriate undergarments for each of your looks. That’s all. From your measurements, I will know what to have on hand.”

All of this seemed completely foreign to Lisbon. She was less nervous now but a lot more confused. She didn’t expect it to all be quite so invasive. It was like every part of her body was under a microscope.

“And what are we doing with her hair?”

Madeleine pulled out her phone. Lisbon barely had time to register that they were talking about her hair before Brittany, the hair stylist, came back into the room. “Hi, Brittany, we need you to do a quick consultation. What are you thinking with Gracie’s hair?”

The blonde haired woman undid Lisbon’s bun and began running her hands through her hair. “Well, let’s see. Gracie, honey, is your hair colored?”

“No, it is not colored.”

“It’s got a little to it. I can tell. It’s a little dry. I’m thinking we could add some layers and maybe some subtle highlights. Your color is quite beautiful and matches your complexion well. I wouldn’t remove much of the length because I think it will lay and volumize nicely. Let me see...oh yes, you have nice shoulders and your face shape really supports an updo. An updo will be great for her evening look. I will experiment with a few of these looks. You have such gorgeous hair, and I think it will be easy to work with! We may even be able to take you natural, if you’d like.” Lisbon blushed a bit at that. She had always been made to feel like her dark, thick, slightly curly hair was less of an asset and more of a burden.

Madeleine intervened once again. “So it doesn’t seem like much will change with her hair. I think I like your ideas for colors and cuts. I will trust you with your designs. I need to see them within the next week and a half, please.”

Moments later, she noticed Jane leaning in the door frame, knocking softly on the door. She wasn’t used to him asking to enter her space. Usually, he just acted like her space was his space, but she was rather thankful he had missed all the measuring and undergarment talk from before. 

“Good morning, beautiful!”

“Finn!” His eyes lit up at his new nickname. She could tell that he liked it.

“Can I come in? I come bearing gifts.”

She smiled rather brightly as the blonde woman continued running her hands through her hair and getting some rough ideas for styles and trying to determine which products and treatments she would need to use. “Of course!” He walked in the room carrying a cup of hot coffee, just the way she liked it. “Thank you!”

“How’s everything going in here? It’s already a slight madhouse out there.”

“It’s fine. Max and Madeleine are working on details for my wardrobe. Apparently, I have to get new everything, including undergarments.” She raised her eyebrows at that, indicating her slight shock and panic. Remembering Brittany was still nearby, she introduced them. “Finn, this is Brittany. Brittany, this is Finn. He’s my…” Well, they hadn’t actually determined who Finn was to her or why he was around other than to help her catch a killer.

“I’m her boyfriend.” He said rather casually, flashing his bright blue eyes at the hair stylist. “I’m hurt that she hasn’t told you all about me. Isn’t that what you ladies do?” Now, she was blushing, which seemed to encourage Jane even more. “Well, I’m sure she will fill you in later.” Brittany smiled as she stepped away to look at her phone for a moment, seemingly giving the couple a bit of privacy.

“Oh, Finn.” Though onlookers would think she was simply flirting, he noticed that distinctly Lisbon eye roll. “Did you need something?”

“No, I just wanted to bring my princess her coffee before she became an angry little princess.” That did get a smile from Lisbon who felt quite caffeine-deprived. He called her “an angry little princess” to get a rise out of her, but something about it always made her feel warm inside, almost like it was a loving nickname. “And I wanted to let you know that Darla called and said she would be over this afternoon.”

“Thank you! If you happen to talk to her again, please let her know all is going pretty well.” She really was incredibly grateful that he had thought to bring her coffee--fresh coffee from the smell of it.

She heard her beauty consultant come back into the room before he could say anymore. “Well, I’ll let you ladies get back to it. You know, Madeleine, you really should get her a tiara. Something to match her bracelet.” He caught Lisbon’s look of frustration, but he paid her no mind. 

“Her bracelet?” The other woman looked at her wrist, seeing no bracelet there. 

“Oh, well it’s out at the jeweler’s being cleaned right now. It’s just a little Cartier piece that I bought for Gracie to wear for the competition. A good luck charm, if you will. Actually, I might know someone who can make that tiara happen.” 

Madeleine just looked at Jane, smiling. “Ok, but try to at least run jewelry pieces by me first. I know that you’re in love and want to shower Gracie with gifts,” she paused for a brief second before continuing, “but we have to make sure all of our pieces match--tiara and all.” With a flash of the typical Jane smile as Lisbon shook her head at him, he whisked himself away, leaving her at the mercy of Madeleine, Brittany, and Zoey who had entered the room.

“So he’s cute.” The blonde hair stylist was practically glowing in anticipation for the gossip. “How long have you two been seeing each other?”

“We’ve been together for three years now.” Well, that wasn’t technically a lie. Jane had come to work with Lisbon three years ago.

“I bet you don’t let him out of your sight much.” Lisbon guffawed at that, earning a brow raise from Madeleine. To her credit, she said nothing, only smiling knowingly at the brunette even though Lisbon was sure a reprimand was waiting in the wings. “Well, he’s staying here with you while you get pageant ready. It must be love.” Brittany wiggled her eyebrows at Lisbon, who was once again blushing. Until today, she wasn’t sure she was capable of blushing so much.

“Oh, Brittany, dear. Please don’t tease Gracie so much. I’m sure she gets enough of that from Finn.” Brittany and Zoey giggled like school girls.

Brittany delivered her plan for today’s visit. “Over the next few weeks, we will experiment with updos for the pageant. I’ll also be going through some maintenance and self-care techniques. Today, I’d like to do a deep condition, so we are ready for color in 3 or 4 days.” Lisbon nodded in agreement. She had actually been to a hair stylist numerous times before. It was just different when they were the ones telling you what they wanted to do. At least the recommendation wasn’t something like going beach blonde or shaving it completely off. 

As Brittany worked on deep conditioning her hair, Zoey began to test makeup. She said she was looking for Lisbon’s exact palette, which would make things easier from here on out. By the time Zoey had an aha moment, her conditioning treatment was finished and Brittany coaxed her to the bathroom sink, where she had set up a makeshift washing sink. Of course, she continued trying to pry more details out of her about her boyfriend. As Brittany dried her hair and styled it for the day, Zoey applied a full face of makeup. She called it light, but it didn’t seem that way to Lisbon. 

At some point while she was having her hair done, Kayla the manicurist snuck into her room. She started asking questions Lisbon didn’t quite understand. She had been to a nail shop exactly once in her life, many years ago.

“What do you normally do with your nails?” The young woman whose long braids nearly reached her hips asked Lisbon.

“I don’t usually do anything.”

“Well, today, we will get you set with a manicure. I think for the pageant, we will use SNS. It keeps its luster, doesn’t chip, and is good for the nails. We will experiment with the best colors for your skin tone and looks. Usually it’s something neutral for the day of. Pre-pageant events can be something different.”

“I’m sorry. What’s SNS?”

“It is a type of powder that looks like nail polish, but it strengthens your nails. You’ll see! You will absolutely love it!”

“It’s not those nails that go down into your nail bed, right?”

“It’s just a dip powder, Gracie.” Madeleine was helping her along once again. Obviously, she thought this SNS stuff was a good idea, so she wouldn’t argue the point.

“Sounds good to me!” Kayla busied herself getting her nails manicured. She ended up doing the dip powder treatment, which surprised Lisbon because she actually really liked it.

Last but not least, once Brittany, Zoey, and Kayla finished, Tom and George came in to talk to Lisbon about the skin treatments they thought would be best for her. This was the part she dreaded most. However, the two men, who she learned through the course of her conversation were actually married, were actually quite nice and were patient with her questions.

“So we are planning to do a couple of things, Gracie.” She simply nodded at Tom to continue. Tomorrow, we are going to do a full-body exfoliating treatment. In about 4 days, we will do a full body wax, followed by a sealing treatment and moisturizer. Don’t worry about shaving between now and then. In two weeks, we will repeat this so you are ready for pageant activities and do a touch up the day before the pageant itself. Tomorrow, the day before you leave for Santa Monica, and the day before the pageant, you will also get a facial treatment.”

“Ok, I’ve never really been waxed before. Well, I have had my eyebrows waxed before. I’m just not sure about this. I usually shave. Could you explain how that process works please?”

George actually jumped in to answer this question. “We will do your body section by section, applying hot wax and a piece of cloth. We just pull the cloth against your hair growth to remove the hair. Just like your eyebrows. It’s a bit painful though, so about 45 minutes before your appointment, take some pain reliever. Not aspirin though. Avoid that at all costs! Once you get used to waxing, you will want to throw those razors away!” 

Lisbon’s question wasn’t fully answered, so she looked to Madeleine. “I believe Gracie is asking specifically about the bikini area.” She nodded.

“Ah yes! It’s the same process. You decide if you keep a landing strip or not. Some ladies prefer to keep something. Others, not so much. And you can definitely have someone in the room with you, like your boyfriend, during that process if you’d like.” From the waggle of his brows as he said “boyfriend,” she could tell there had definitely been talk in the living area.

She smiled at that. “I’m not sure that’s his scene.”

Madeleine also smiled. “Oh. You’d be surprised how many boyfriends are actually on hand to be supportive during this process. It’s up to you. I can go with you or you can go alone. George and Tom are quite professional. I’ve worked with them for years.” She nodded along with that.

After a series of questions about her normal skin care routine, Tom pulled out several products. He explained each of them to her and how he expected her to alter her morning and night time routines to improve her skin and properly remove her makeup. It was a lot of information to take in, but she did her best to pay attention. Once they finished, Madeleine called a lunch break and dismissed the technicians to get to their tasks.

Jane had ordered in some salads for the three of them. Or at least that’s what he said. However, the delivery person looked suspiciously like Cho sweeping for bugs. He found none, nodded to Lisbon, and left.

Lisbon grabbed her salad and sat down with a note of disapproval from Madeleine. She looked back at the woman. “I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?”

“Yes. Stand up. We are going to practice sitting properly. It will be a lot more important once you have your dresses. Trust me.” 

Lisbon instantly complied. She was ready to get to the important business of eating her lunch, even if it was incredibly light. “Madeleine, I attended Catholic school for 13 years. I can sit like a lady.” 

“Well, show me then!” 

She slid into the chair with her back very straight, angling her knees toward Madeleine and crossing her left ankle over her right. Looking back at the other woman, she asked: “Is that better?”

Madeleine smiled at her. “Much better. Now, let’s see you eat like one, too.” As her ravenous hunger sat in, she was tempted to roll her eyes, but she weighed whether it was worth further delaying the time between her and her salad as her consultant came over and placed her utensils into a setting and sat down a glass of water. Lisbon folded her napkin into a triangle in her lap and reached her fork, again meeting Madeleine’s disapproval. “Whatever you put on that fork better be in bite size pieces.”

Lisbon picked up her knife, placed it in her right hand, and began cutting up her lettuce. Even having sat through numerous all-hands meetings at the FBI, this had to be one of the most ridiculous things she had ever done.

“Lay the knife horizontally across the top of your bowl. Use the knife to push food onto your fork! Don’t slouch! You’re eating too quickly.” With every reprimand, Lisbon changed her behaviour. Finally, her consultant made no further comment about how she ate her salad.

Shoveling salad into her mouth, Lisbon listened as Madeleine began a recap of the morning’s events. “Sorry to have bombarded you with so many people so early in the morning, Teresa. I just wasn’t sure how long we would be. I understand that you have other duties, so I wanted to make sure we had plenty of time to speak at the end of the day.” It was thinly veiled, but the implication about Lisbon needing to meet with her team was pretty clear.

“Thank you for thinking about that. If we’re going to be doing early days, I hope to have time to sleep.”

“Oh and you will! I need you well rested the next few weeks. Pageants are busy once the rehearsal work begins, especially once you meet the other women and start going through dance routines.”

“Dance routines?” Madeleine just nodded. 

“Yes, you will learn a simple entry dance routine for the pageant night. Usually, the women make friends, bond a little. There may be cliques, but it’s usually nothing too bad.”

“Of course.”

Madeleine looked at Jane. “Patrick, I need you to make sure Teresa is getting the appropriate amount of sleep. I assume you can keep her mindful of a schedule over the next few weeks.”

He smiled once more. “Oh, it’s hard to get through to these coppers.” She frowned at him. “But I will keep her on task.” This time, he patted Teresa’s hand, and she swatted at him.

Madeleine just laughed softly as she pulled a booklet out of her bag. “Well, just try to keep them in line, Patrick. I have written all of your appointments over the next few weeks into this organizer. It’s my understanding that you will be getting a cover phone soon, so you can enter them if you’d like. I just expect you to be prompt and ready. We will work on your elocution and presentation daily. How you carry yourself matters.”

Lisbon accepted the booklet and flipped through the relevant pages. “Wow, there are a lot of appointments in here.” Most noticeably, Lisbon noticed Sunday was absolutely clear.

“Well, we have a lot to prepare in a short amount of time.”

“So we won’t meet the next two Sundays at all?” Once again, Jane giggled. 

“No, I think we can accomplish what we need on a six day week. I also wanted to make sure you had time to continue developing your talent.” She would indeed be able to watch the game!

“My talent? What does that mean?”

“Every contestant has to have something for the talent portion of the contest.”

Lisbon’s eyes went wide. “A talent portion?”

“Rephrase that please.”

“There’s a talent portion of the competition? I don’t have a talent!” Jane smiled at her slight panic over this new development, but Madeleine shot him a glare that told him his silence was not only preferred but required.

“I’m sure that’s not true, Teresa. Take this evening and think about what talent you might be able to do on stage in a 3-5 minute presentation. Some women do twirling batons, singing, dancing...there are many options to choose from.” 

Suddenly, Jane’s hand shot into the air as though he was asking permission to speak. “You know what? Don’t even worry about it! We will work that out tonight.” He pulled out his phone, and he sent a text message.

“What will we work out?”

“I have just the talent in mind! Once you hear my idea, you’ll love it, but I think we should surprise Madeleine with it once we have all the kinks worked out.” 

Madeleine looked at him wearily. “Patrick, let me be very clear: take this seriously. No funny business. It’s important that we get Teresa into the top 10 so that her access to the behind the scenes at the pageant continues. I will approve Teresa’s talent and make adjustments as I see fit before we finalize it.”

“I am taking it 100% seriously. But can’t the FBI just get her into the top 10? You know, work some of that same magic they used to get her into the pageant.”

“Jane!” 

“No, he asks an excellent question. My understanding is that if push comes to shove, there is some leverage to get Teresa into the top 10. However, I don’t think there’s a single reason she can’t make into the top 10 on her own merits. Do you?”

“Of course she can make it in on our own! It’s just you’d think the FBI would actually do something like maybe grease some wheels to move this along.”

Lisbon pivoted her head wildly to look directly at him. “Grease some wheels? Jane, that’s cheating!”

“Meh.” He just shrugged his shoulders. “Madeleine is right. You can make into the top 10 on your own merits. I will grease the wheels if I have to.” She continued to look at him in shock. “Of course, I won’t have to grease any wheels because Madeleine has you well on your way to being a pretty princess.”

“Oh go to hell!”

“There’s my angry princess!” 

“Stop it!”

Madeleine just shook her head at their exchange, which had clearly devolved at this point. She could read both of them like a book and knew exactly what it was they had yet to admit to themselves. “Well, I think that’s all for me today. Do think more about that talent. I expect to hear more about it tomorrow.” 

“Absolutely. Thank you for everything today.”

“No worries, Teresa. I have full confidence that in two weeks, you will be fully ready to meet the other Miss America contestants. Another thing: make sure you practice speaking tonight. Use ‘yes and no’ and ‘please and thank you.’ We have to get you in the habit of putting on your pageant face.”

Jane whistled. “Well, folks, you’ve heard of game face, but now you’ve heard of pageant face.” Both women just shook their heads at him, not even giving him the satisfaction of their attention.

Pointing to Jane before letting herself out, Madeleine told Lisbon: “I do not begrudge your work at all. I will see you tomorrow at 8am.”

Cleaning up their takeout containers, Jane whistled again. “She’s fun. I think I’d like to work for her.”

“Please. As if you work for anyone.”

“Oh look at you! Already working on your pageant face!”

She chose to ignore his last barb. “Did Grace say what time she would be by?”

“When she checked in, she said to let her know once we were done for the day. I sent her a text as we were eating, and she said she’d be here in an hour or so. Give or take.”

“Okay, that’s great. I feel like I should be doing something, but honestly, that was a lot to take in this morning.” Lisbon took her water bottle and sat down on the couch.

Jane, with his afternoon tea in hand, took a seat next to her. “Did your beauty consultants tire you out?”

“Hey, I was up early to run and get showered ahead of their arrival. And do you know what that was like? Being measured and prodded? Having someone investigating every flaw you have? I’ve learned so much about so many things in so little time!”

“Oh? Like what?”

“Look at these!” She held out her fingertips, which were now adorned in a deep red polish. “Ok, so did you know they have a powder they put on your nails? Apparently, it makes them look like fake nails but makes them stronger. Isn’t that crazy?”

“Completely far out. Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.” She nudged his arm as he grinned at her. 

“I’ve answered questions all morning about different things about my skin, my hair, my nails, my clothing...all with Madeleine correcting how I speak! It’s a lot!”

“I believe you, Gracie. I bet you also had a lot of conversation to make with Brittany the hair stylist.”

That made Lisbon flash her teeth in a wide smile that Jane thought was adorable. “Oh, well, she wanted to know all about Finn.” He returned the grin.

“Well, shall we see what the average American rots their brain with on television in the middle of the day?” Sitting his tea cup down, he turned on the television.

“Absolutely!”

Jane turned on some court show. Though, they didn’t quite make it through the program. Within minutes, Lisbon was curled into Jane’s side with his arm draped around her. They were fast asleep and lost in a peaceful slumber.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next thing Lisbon knew, there was a knock on the door. She woke up still curled into Jane’s side, which felt oddly comforting, though she didn’t know why. The knock had woken him up too, but they were slow to move apart. It’s probably just the grogginess, she thought.

“Hey Gracie, it’s Darla!” Van Pelt called from the other side of the door. With that, Lisbon got into gear and got up to open the door. Noticing the clock on the microwave showed it was well after 4pm, it was clear that she and Jane had been out for quite some time.

“Hey!” Grace reached for a hug as Lisbon let her in. Obviously, it was part of the cover.

“Come on in!” 

Van Pelt waited a pace before asking the burning question on her mind. “How did it go this morning?”

“Good.” Jane cleared his throat, prompting Lisbon to re-answer the question. “It went well. I learned about things that I didn’t even know are real things.”

“I think she means grammar.”

“Oh fuck off.” 

He giggled. “She’s been waiting to say that to me all day. Lisbon, I’m proud of your restraint. Truly. Great cover.” The other woman bowed her head a bit and smiled. “I need to run an errand. I will be back in a little bit. Uh, what do you plan to do for dinner?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I think we should just order room service.”

“Sounds good to me! I will be back in a bit.” With that, Jane swept out of the room. Lisbon knew she should probably be a bit more weary about him running off, but it was too early in the operation for him to cause any real trouble. Besides, after their nap, a little space couldn’t hurt.

“How’s the command center?”

“Um, good. Everything is set up well. We are running background on all of the technicians that came out today and their close associates. Rigsby is securing floor plans for the pageant venue. He and Cho are working on securing the event. The rest of the task force will be coming down next week. I have your cover phone for you, and here’s your bracelet.”

Lisbon opened the box and looked at her bracelet. It looked the same as it did yesterday. She couldn’t tell that anything was different, so she looked at the other agent inquisitively. “What did you do to it?”

“I was able to replace one of the diamonds with glass. Jane sent me to his jeweler. Sammy? He removed the diamond for me and put in the glass audio piece. Completely unnoticeable to the naked eye. That’s what took me so long to get back here.” Lisbon just nodded.

“Anything else I need to know?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Well, I have your phone number in my phone, right?”

“Yes, and Cho and Rigsby are also listed. Cho is listed as Delivery Guy. Rigsby is listed as Maintenance. They know to answer the phone accordingly. I also have Finn in there.” 

Lisbon looked rather impressed. “Good deal. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing fine.” With a bit of apprehension in her voice, Grace continued. “I have to go back to Sacramento next Friday for an appointment, but I will just be gone for the day. The rest of the task force should be filing in by then.”

“Oh, that’s perfectly fine! Grace, I want you to know that this is a supportive team. Take the time you need.” She wasn’t really sure how to broach the next part of her question, so she just ripped off the bandaid and asked. “Will Rigsby be going back with you?”

Grace blushed at her question and was suddenly very interested in her hands. “Grace, it’s not exactly a secret. I know more than I see. That’s mostly so that I don’t have to actually do anything about it. He is the father, isn’t he?”

“He is the father. He’s staying here on Friday so that he and Cho are on hand if you need anything.”

“Well, eventually we will have to have this conversation officially. But today is not the day. If Rigsby wants to go with you, that’s fine with me. I know you’re able to go by yourself, but if he wants to be there, I am not standing in the way. It’s between you two. Just send the taskforce notice that we need an advance team to come a few days early. Then, I’ll send you guys back to Sacramento to follow up on a lead or something.”

“Boss, that’s great, but won’t people know that you knew about us?” One thing Lisbon knew about the woman standing in front of her upon meeting her for the first time was that she was kind hearted. Of course she cared that Lisbon might get in trouble. It was possible she cared more than Lisbon herself, who had only ever required her agents act with the highest levels of professionalism on the job. After hours? So long as they weren’t into illegal activities, she did not care.

“I’m already going to get those questions. Again, who am I to stand in the way of your happiness? Everything will work out. You’re both professionals when on the job, and in my book, that’s what matters. We can deal with policy concerns later.” 

The redhead nodded as she started to cry. “Thank you for being so supportive, but I don’t want you to be in trouble because of us.”

“It’s not like that. Don’t think of it that way. Besides, I’m sure Jane will be the reason I get in trouble, not you.” Both women had a laugh out of that. “You want to stay here for a bit and avoid traffic? Have some tea? Learn about my new skin care regimen while I find a basketball game on tv?” Again, they were laughing. Lisbon often thought about how they would be great friends under different circumstances. Not that they weren’t friendly, it was a different dynamic with her being a subordinate.

Grace stayed over for a bit until Rigsby texted her asking her what she wanted to eat and to swing by and grab their pick up order on her way back. Once the younger agent was gone and the game she was watching had ended, she found herself flipping through channels. She landed on America’s Next Top Model. For some reason, the show fascinated her. She had seen it a few times in passing, but after watching Marcus work today, it was a bit surreal. She found herself lost in the show until she felt her stomach rumble. With that cue, she ordered room service for her and for Jane. She was sure he would be back from whatever errand he was running soon. 

After ordering food for them, she immediately fell back into her show. Not long after, Jane returned. “I ordered dinner. Got you chicken and veggies.”

“Sounds delicious.” He walked in carrying a medium-sized box. “What are you watching?”

“America’s Next Top Model. And before you say anything, I have actually watched this show before. I just might have a new appreciation for it now after watching my stylist at work.” He smiled at that. “What’s in the box?”

“Oh this? This is your talent.” He walked over the sofa, sitting beside Lisbon and handing her the box. Curious, Lisbon opened the box, finding a brand new pair of roller skates with a sparkling white boot, white laces, and white wheels.

“Jane?”

“Are we seriously going to pretend that young Teresa Lisbon didn’t spend every weekend of her youth at the skating rink, learning the hottest routines?”

She sighed. “That might be true, but what does that have to do with a talent for the pageant.”

“You’re going to dance.”

“Dance?”

“Lisbon, don’t be coy. I know you still know how. In fact, I would wager you have a pair of skates at home in Sacramento that you still take out for a roll every one in a while.”

He had her. “I hate it when you do that. And you know, the only way you could know that is if you were snooping.”

“Meh. You can’t hide anything from me. No snooping required!” He grinned at her. “I also got your costume in there.”

In the bottom of the box, underneath the safety gear, she pulled out a blue and orange dress with a pair of orange and white knee high socks. When she saw the dress in its entirety, she gasped. “See, I told you I know you. I had a rush order. Another favor owed me. They just did some stuff with fabric, sewed together some pieces to make this tasteful Chicago Bears-inspired dress for you to wear as your dance costume.” 

She was smiling like it was Christmas morning. She was so happy that she reached over and gave him a hug. “I love it!” That he was not expecting. As she pulled away from the hug, she chided him. “You know, you should stop calling in all of your favors on me and this assignment.”

“Anything for you.” He lingered there for a moment before he added: “Anything you need to catch Red John.”

Her smile slipped a bit, enough for him to notice. He chastised himself for adding that little bit. Red John had a deeper hold on his life than he would admit outloud, both on his past and his present. He needed to close that chapter in his life once and for all. “We will catch him without you using every single favor owed to you in the State of California.”

He waved his hand at that. “What’s the point of holding a debt if you’re never going to call it in?”

“Okay, well you got it planned this far. What am I dancing to?” 

He smiled once more. “Something I think you will like.” He pulled out his phone and hit play. From her face, he could tell she immediately registered the song. “Huh? I think you could tear up the floor to this song.”

Their room service arrived, and Lisbon went to the door to let the food in. “Let’s eat first.”

After dinner, he once again cued up the music as Lisbon laced up. He also rearranged some of the furniture to give her some space on the hardwood floor.

“Ok, I’m ready.”

“Uh huh. Safety first. Get those pads on. If you get all scuffed up, Madeleine will be mad at me. Lisbon is fine with getting bruised up, but Gracie is not.” 

That earned him a glare. “I can skate in my sleep. I learned to skate before those contraptions existed. I don’t need them.” He folded his arms, and she acquiesced, putting on her elbow and knee pads. “Ok, start the music!”

He hit the play button on his phone, and the Spice Girls’ “Who Do You Think You Are” started playing. “Remember: it’s a dance, not roller derby.” She rolled her eyes at him again.

She started out with just a basic skate, warming herself up and getting into skate mode. He put the song on repeat so that she could start to play with some moves. It was quite a catchy tune with a disco beat, so it was perfect for skating. The lyrics about proving oneself also fit her perfectly. Not that he would admit it, but he downloaded the Spice Girls Greatest Hits album the moment he learned she was a fan. It wasn’t exactly his speed, but he knew it would come in handy some time. 

Here and there she started to add tricks. He wouldn’t pretend to know exactly what it was she was doing, but he was in awe with each twist, twirl, and jump that she made. He also noticed that whatever she did made her happy because she was beaming as she created her routine. Eventually, she worked out and did it a few more times. Honestly, he was surprised she had such energy left in her to skate this out for an hour, but she was really having fun figuring it out. And who was he to stop her fun?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure how much detail to give about the makeover process without it getting super boring or afield from the story. Again, I love the scenes with Lisbon and Van Pelt and exploring their convos a bit more. There's more of that to come. 
> 
> How about that dance, huh? If you know which Robin Tunney movie I cribbed that from, we should be friends because it's one of my favorites! As a 90s girl, I am still 100% about the Spice Girls life...and so is canon Teresa Lisbon lol. The next chapter will be a little shorter and feature Jane's POV.


	5. She's a Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane thinks about some things. Some pageant prep and fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to try a chapter purely from Jane's POV. Here it is! Again, thanks for your reviews!

The next morning, Madeleine returned with some of the same people as from the day before. As promised, he could hear her as she continued drilling Lisbon on her speaking skills and how she presented herself. He also noticed Madeleine sending Lisbon out to walk the floor in high heels and coaching her and making her practice sitting down. He didn’t understand how there was a proper way to do any of this, but he was fascinated by how much there was to learn about this life. It was a different type of performance art, but a performance nonetheless.

Once more, Madeleine whisked his partner away to do some preening and primping, or whatever they called it, for a while. Jane spent his morning sipping tea and reading. Truth be told, there wasn’t much for him to do right now. Van Pelt & the team cleared all of the techs working with Lisbon this morning. She had also cleared the Pageant Director & President. Basically, it was just up to Lisbon to be ready to razzle dazzle the pageant world in about a week’s time. 

From time to time, he would get up and stretch his legs. In doing so, he would peek into Lisbon’s room when the door was open to see how she was doing. He was amazed by how she was taking this all in without completely losing her cool. Of course, he learned of her dedication and commitment long ago. He just didn’t expect her to acclimate so quickly. Even as he heard her grumble in response to Madeleine reprimanding her elocution skills, he could tell that she was still all in on this assignment.

Again, he brought her a mid-morning cup of coffee. He loved how her face just lit up when she saw the cup in his hand. For that alone, it was worth it. “Here you go, Gracie.”

“Thanks, babe.” Their cover had come easy flowing. Perhaps it should have shocked him, but it actually just felt natural.

“Have you talked to Madeleine about your talent yet?”

She narrowed her eyes a bit in apprehension. “No, we haven’t talked about it yet. I thought we could talk after lunch. Madeleine made lunch reservations for us.”

He nodded along to her words. “I see. So after lunch then?” He was a bit nervous that he’d have to strong arm Madeleine into accepting her dance as her talent. It’s not like she was playing water glasses or something. Making skate dancing the way Lisbon did took a lot of skill. Besides, the charm she radiated on the wheels made him confident this would work. She just nodded, eliciting one of the grumbles from Madeleine that was becoming a common part of their day. 

Lisbon rolled her eyes, earning her another grumble. Taking a moment to fix her face into a polite smile, she finally answered the question. “Yes, we will talk about it after lunch. Thank you for checking in, Finn.”

He laughed lightly. “You said we have lunch plans?”

“We do.” Madeleine answered his question this time. “We are going to a proper restaurant with a full place setting. Gracie, I brought you a dress and heels to wear. We are going to practice etiquette. These things matter, especially if you want to fit in. Finn, I trust you have something appropriate to wear.”

“I do.”

“Good, we will be finished here by 12. I will call a car to come for us at 12:30. I set the reservation a bit offside the lunch rush to give us the room we need.” While he would never say no to a nice meal, he did wonder why Madeleine thought the three of them should go on this endeavor. Lisbon would do just fine and adapt in this setting as she would any other.

Over just the course of a few days, he had learned that Madeleine was quite good at dismissing people without actually saying the words. When he knew she was over his presence, he went back to his own devices until he noticed the techs filter out. Under the pretenses of maintenance, Rigsby came in this time to sweep their room for bugs once it was cleared out. Finding nothing, he left rather quickly. 

12:15. That was the exact time he nearly died. At the clanking of what sounded like a stiletto heel, he saw Teresa Lisbon walk out of her room. Not that he didn’t already know she was beautiful, but the woman who stood before him took his breath completely away. She was gorgeous, even beyond his wildest dreams. She was wearing a knee-length, sleeveless forest green dress that was taken in at the waist with golden stiletto pumps similar to the ones Madeleine wore. Her hair and makeup were also done up. He noticed how soft and fluffy her hair was. He’d never seen her hair curled like that before. 

Something about her face was different too. He couldn’t get over how plump her painted lips looked. He’d never been great at the colors the beauty world attached to their products, but her burgundy lips looked so sweet. Whatever her beauty team had done this morning made her look every bit the princess he knew she was.

“What? What is it?” Lisbon had caught him staring. He must’ve been practically gawking if she said something. “Is it my hair? Brittany wanted to experiment with some natural hair looks. She said it would also save my hair for extreme styling the day of the pageant.”

“Um, yes. Your hair. It looks absolutely beautiful.” Even under her makeup, he could see her slight blush. Yes, a natural beauty indeed.

Thankfully, Madeleine was there to help him back to reality. “That’s a beautiful Cartier piece you bought for Gracie.” When she started speaking her face was stoic, but by the end, she was smiling. She had that look again, like she knew all of the secrets of life, even the ones he hadn’t figured out yet.

“It was the least I could do. She deserves a little good luck charm.”

“Yes, a little good luck charm.” It didn’t escape his notice that Madeleine had emphasized “little.”

“It sounds like you have a question, Madeleine.”

“Oh, I have a lot of questions, Finn. I’m sure none that you’d be able, or more likely willing, to answer. It’s a beautiful bracelet. Thank you for finding such a tasteful piece that we can work with. I’m sure it will serve its purpose long beyond the pageant.”

The corner of Jane’s mouth turned up, and the other woman grinned once more. “I’d certainly hope so. It’s her bracelet now.” Lisbon was barely paying attention as she messed with her hair, which earned her yet another reprimand from Madeleine.

“It was in my eyes! Are you going to spend every day nagging me for little stuff like this?”

“If I have to, yes. We have to break you of these habits that you have. Just shake your head back!” She sighed in frustration. 

“Alright, the car is here. Let’s get downstairs. I expect you will both be on your best behavior at lunch?”

They both nodded and followed her out. A few times, he could see Lisbon wobbling in her heels, so he was sure to walk beside her and extend his arm to steady her as necessary. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her wear shoes like this before. They were high enough to make her legs look almost twice as long. 

After Madeleine spent time drilling Lisbon on how to slide into the car gracefully and they were finally able to go, they arrived at a very nice restaurant. In his previous life, this is the type of place Jane would get his marks to bring him and sell them on all manners of things. Though he was accustomed to this type of dining, he never really officially learned about the so-called finer things in life either. He learned by mimicking those around him. For a while, it had served him well.

Once they were inside and had checked their jackets, the young host led them to their table. Moving swiftly in front of Lisbon, Jane pulled her chair out for her. She looked at him in momentary confusion because it’s not something she was accustomed to. He just gave her a slight nod, telling her to go along with it. After he helped her take her seat, he sat down beside her, noticing the heated glare Madeleine was sending him.

She finally broke her glare. “Well, my dear, at least you have a perfect gentleman for a boyfriend.” Again, her tone indicated there was more behind her statement, but he let it go. If Lisbon caught it, she didn’t mention anything. Almost immediately, she began coaching Lisbon on how to behave at the table on everything from how to properly order to how to sip her water to how to actually eat her food. 

No major mishaps happened at lunch...well, except for Lisbon’s annoyed death glare a few times. Otherwise, she seemed to take it all in very gracefully. When they arrived back at their hotel, Madeleine came up with them. Jane began to move furniture, while Lisbon went to her room to change. She came skating into the living area in her full talent uniform and one of her classic pony tails.

“Did you hang your dress up properly?”

“Yes, I did. It’s on the hanger and in the plastic bag.”

“Good. I need you to hold onto that one for a little bit. Now, what is this?” She waved her hands at her skates.

“This is my talent. I am going to dance.” Lisbon’s tone indicated that she believed the woman should have figured that part out on her own.

“I see.” Madeleine looked unsure. “This sounds like it could be dangerous. I suppose you are at least wearing safety equipment, so let’s see it.”

“Music please?” She caught Madeleine’s glare. “Finn, will you play the music please? Thank you so much.”

“Wow, I don’t think she’s ever been nicer to me.” That earned him two women shaking their heads at his antics.

Once again, the Spice Girls’ “Who Do You Think You Are” filled the living space of their suite as she moved around the floor, showing her consultant the routine she had come up with. Jane was completely lost in this performance. It somehow seemed even better than when he saw her perform it last night. Lisbon was beaming, which filled him with a sense of pride. He knew she would love this when he suggested it as her talent. From the corner of his eye, he could see Madeleine studying him as she watched Lisbon perform.

When Lisbon finished her routine, she came to a full stop. “I think that’s lovely, Gracie. It’s a great talent. It’s both unique and tasteful. It fits the story that we want to tell about you being a natural beauty, your authentic self! I assume this was Finn’s idea?” For some reason, Madeleine’s approval seemed to make Lisbon smile even wider than she had been. He wasn’t sure how that was possible.

“It was Finn’s idea! Sometimes, he snoops a bit and learns things about me that I didn’t even tell him. It’s a blessing and a curse really.”

The other woman laughed at that. “I am not surprised. Just make sure you continue to clear his ideas with me please.” 

Lisbon nodded at her. “If he clears them with me, I’ll clear them with you.” She skated into her room, shutting the door behind her.

“She was good, huh?”

The woman smiled. “She certainly was. That’s a fine talent, and she definitely has a passion for skating.” She lowered her voice to barely a whisper. “Finn...Patrick...you have to tell her.”

“Tell her what?”

“Tell her what?” She repeated his question to him in full disbelief. “Maybe you could start with why you bought her a $15,000 bracelet. Your jaw was practically on the floor all throughout lunch, so maybe tell her why you look at her like she hung the moon. That would be a good start.” 

He felt a vibration run through his body. He was taken aback by that, but it did send him in defensive mode. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do. You’re too intuitive not to know that Finn isn’t just an act for you. This is all you. You’re treating Teresa as though she’s your girlfriend. This cover was your idea, and I think you came up with it so easily for a reason even if you didn’t do it consciously. And everything you do on top of it? It’s clear it’s not an act for you.” He shook his head at the beauty consultant. “It’s ok. You don’t have to admit it out loud to me, but you should think about how you take those next steps with her before someone else comes and does it for you. I mean, I have been to weddings where I’ve seen grooms less smitten with their brides than you are with her! And for what it’s worth, I’ve known you all for three days. I can tell you it’s not one-sided, if that’s what you’re afraid of. A woman like Teresa who’s so independent, but she looks to you for approval? Do you know how uncertain she was about going out at lunch? She was convinced she didn’t look like herself. As soon as we stepped out and you made her blush, she had all the confidence she needed. You practically fed off of each other’s energy during her routine.”

He turned to face her, giving her a grave look. “You’ve seen Red John in action and know what he’s capable of. He killed them, my wife and daughter, because I upset him. He lashed out at me by taking those I loved most from me. I...I just can’t do that again. You should understand.” 

“I understand what that SOB does, but I also understand fear. I never thought I would work again, but here I am. Sometimes, it’s a leap of faith. After...Red John...my husband left with the kids, saying they couldn’t be around such a monster. It’s been hard recovering. When I couldn’t get pageant work anymore, I became a wedding planner. I see my kids every other weekend. I work hard to find ways to clear my name, to clear the record of what that bastard paid a clearly disturbed young woman to say. But we have to recover. If we don’t keep living, he wins.” 

He did not respond. He went to the sofa, where he lounged back quietly. When Teresa came out of her room in her jeans and shirt, the two women began discussing details for the next day while he was lost in his own thoughts and his own hell. Truthfully, he had heard Madeleine’s words and knew the truth in them. It just didn’t make it any easier. For three years, Lisbon had been his best friend, his rock, and his confidant. He’s not sure he’d be alive today if not for her. 

She’s my entire world, he thought. 

No, he couldn’t think like that. He had to catch Red John. He had to pay. If he didn’t, it was a complete betrayal to Angela’s and Charlotte’s memory. He couldn’t let himself think like that. Besides, even if Madeleine was confident that Lisbon felt the same spark he did by just being in her presence, he wasn’t sure. She might have been a rather predictable cop, but the woman herself was a complete mystery to him.

After Madeleine let herself out, Lisbon came and sat on the couch next to him. He hadn’t noticed her at first.

“What are you thinking so loud about over there?” 

Pushing down all of the thoughts that flooded his mind, he answered her question. “Oh nothing. Just thinking about how I’m always right.”

She nudged him in the arm. “Don’t go getting a big head. Sometimes, and only sometimes, you get things right.” For all that he tried to push those thoughts to the back of his mind, her smile made it incredibly difficult. It wasn’t the same smile she flashed around the FBI office when Minelli told one of his dad jokes or Rigsby did something very typically Rigsby. This one was bigger and brighter, like he could see the world in her eyes. It was almost like there was no place she’d rather than be than in this moment with him. That smile was his favorite thing in the world. That smile is for me, he thought.

Madeleine had hit the nail on the head. Suddenly, he felt a weight in his chest and couldn’t get off of that sofa fast enough. He needed air. He flashed her a superficial smile. “Ok, only sometimes I’m right. I’m going to some errands. Text me what you want me to bring back for dinner.”

If she noticed a shift in his tone, she didn’t let on. “Sounds good. I’m going to check in with Grace at command.”

At that, he left their suite, almost immediately cursing himself a coward. But he meant what he had told Madeleine. He had to catch Red John. He couldn’t ruin Teresa’s life, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've always firmly believed that Jane knew he loved her first. Like I think he knew close to the time he met her, but he had trouble dealing with it and the idea of moving on before bringing Red John to justice. I wanted to explore that here. I also thought the conversation with Madeleine fit both of them well. She always did well with reading Jane and just talking to him. I think if she had been around long enough, she would have called it out. I always adored their relationship in canon.
> 
> The next chapter is a bit more exposition and fluff as the team works out details for the assignment. After that, we are into the pageant! Don't worry. I'm laughing at myself for initially plotting this out as a six chapter fic.


	6. Just a Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of team interaction, a little bit of interaction with a jerk, and quite a bit of Jisbon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the notes at the end if you're interested in the, um, choices I made this chapter!

Within the course of the next week, Lisbon’s appointments with Madeleine continued. Every day, her beauty consultant changed something up and made her practice a new skill. The interviewing skills portion tended to grate on her. She was a female FBI agent. Of course, she had experience in responding to dumb ass questions and comments with grace and a smile. Apparently, it was her biting sarcasm that her consultant felt she needed to train out of her.

In the afternoons, she continued her meetings and calls with Grace to make sure everything was ready for the task force’s arrival. She also continued practicing her skating routine nightly before she and Jane sat down for dinner and an evening movie. For all of her nervousness that she felt at the beginning, she thought the assignment was actually going quite well. Knowing the true test was coming soon, she didn’t mind spending her down time with Jane.

That Thursday, the advance task force team arrived. As they had agreed previously, Grace came to pick her up for Pilates. After their workout, Grace drove her over to the command center.

“Wow, your hotel is quite...different.” The redhead just nodded her head as they got in the elevator to get to the command room. “Is Rigsby going with you on Friday?”

“He’d like to go if possible, but boss, we both agreed. You don’t have to go out on a limb for us or give us special treatment.”

“Grace, it’s not special treatment. Parents should be able to take time off.” Arriving at their room, Lisbon could definitely understand Cho’s very curt comment about their living arrangements last week.

No sooner than Van Pelt opened the door did Lisbon see something that had to be the closest to one of her worst nightmares. Her worst nightmares usually involved Red John standing over Jane’s dead body. This one was somehow even more personal. When she requested the team, she had asked Minelli to send Wainwright and LaRoche. However, Ray Haffner and Ron, who was a rather good egg, stood before her in the command center.

“Hey Teresa!” Standing next to Cho, who somehow managed to look even more stern than usual, Haffner greeted her very casually. Hearing the feedback from the listening device in her bracelet, Van Pelt moved to turn down the sound on the surveillance equipment.

“Ray.” As she returned his greeting, she wore a smile that was so fake it wasn’t anywhere close to reaching her eyes.

“It’s great to see you. You know, the office has been lonely without you.” Van Pelt raised her eyebrows and looked away.

“Oh, I doubt that’s true!” Maybe those communication skills Madeleine foisted onto her were coming in handy after all.

“It is. I was told you were here making the ultimate sacrifice for this assignment, but you look the same as you always do.”

“Oh really? And how’s that?”

“A little rough around the edges but still cute as a button. Even better that Jane isn’t attached at your hip.” 

She completely lost what was left of her fake smile. “Well, an hour of intense exercise will do that.”

He started to speak again, but Cho cut in and got the conversation back on track before he could get a word in. “Boss, we have been going over the venue’s floor plans. It looks like remote surveillance is going to be pretty easy. Van Pelt assures us she can tap into the security cameras on the floor, so between that, your audio, and one of us being on the floor at all times, I think we are good to go.”

Looking at Van Pelt, “Are you sure we can tap into those cameras?”

“Yes, I tried. It was pretty easy to get in.”

“Sounds like something we might need a warrant for, no?” Her voice seemed to carry a reprimand, but the younger agent can see from her boss’s look that this was less of a reprimand and more of a window of opportunity. 

“I mean, it’s a public space, but a warrant couldn’t hurt anything.”

“No, it couldn’t. It’s always better to be on the safe side and have a clean paper trail.” She looked over to Rigsby who was standing quietly off to the side. “Rigsby, why don’t you and Van Pelt drive back to Sacramento and get that warrant secured tomorrow? You might want to leave this evening to beat the morning rush. Call me if you have any trouble getting back before Saturday.”

Van Pelt answered immediately. “Yes, boss.”

The tall, dark-haired agent seemed lost in thought for a moment as Van Pelt glared at him. “Yes, boss.”

“Cho, you get the rest of our team up to speed.”

“Wow, it takes two of your agents to get a warrant? Between that and the babysitting, no wonder it takes all of this to catch a single terrorist.” He laughed a bit like he had told a funny joke. Lisbon just ignored him and hoped her agents would follow her lead. “So what about video? You have audio set up, but no video? Seems like video would be more helpful in this scenario.”

Once again, Cho spoke up. “We discussed it. It seems like audio is our best bet especially with the extreme privacy concerns involved during the event. It’s unethical to place cameras in a dressing area.”

“Fine, but what about Lisbon? We have no eyes on her?”

“We have ears on her and at least one of us will be on the floor at all times. Van Pelt has also been acting as a go-between. That’s more than enough access.”

Lisbon nodded along to his words. “I agree. There are less invasive ways to handle surveillance on a day to day, more personal basis.”

“I disagree. How are we supposed to watch what’s happening at all times? You can’t possibly catch everything.”

“No, but whoever is around the events can help monitor the situation. Jane will also be around. He’s better than any video camera.”

“We are all professionals here, Teresa. We can handle this a bit better than Jane can even on a bad day.”

“We don’t all act like professionals though.” Rigsby threw in the comment on the sly, which earned him a glare from Lisbon. She was handling the situation. 

Haffner ignored him and returned to Lisbon. “Well, if anything happens to you, which I really hope it doesn’t, I will be sure to tell Minelli who fucked this case up.”

“Thanks. That’s really reassuring, Ray.” She felt her phone vibrate. When she pulled it out, she saw a message from Jane that read “Meet me at Sammy’s! Can’t wait to argue over your lack of taste.” She simply ignored it. Haffner put her in a mood, and this was really not the time to think about whatever Jane had cooked up.

Then, she noticed Van Pelt pull out her phone and step toward her, offering her her phone. She, too, had received a message from Jane that read “Bring Gracie to Sammy’s! I can tell she’s ignoring me and won’t tell you to bring her. Meet me in an hour.” Lisbon scoffed at that message, even though she couldn’t contain the smile that had formed on her face. Maybe this was exactly the time for Jane’s shenanigans.

“What is it?” asked Haffner.

Straightening her face, she answered his question. “Just a message from Jane.”

“Case-related? Has he solved it yet?” She could tell he was being very flippant. Jane could be annoying and cause trouble, but she’d never figured out why Haffner had it out for him so bad basically since he started with her team.

“No, it was just an inside joke.” Haffner looked at her with a look in his eyes that was beyond dark. It made her blood turn cold, but she remembered all of the others also in the room.

As the dark look in his eyes lingered, Lisbon got back to business as usual. “I’ll be wearing the listening device throughout all stages of the pageant. Let’s run each contestant or person I meet. We never know who Red John may have planted. Also, intel can’t hurt. Van Pelt can read me in on what I need to know at our check-ins. Another thing is that I’ve talked to Madeleine. Logistically, it’s going to be difficult for me to carry, so one of you will need to be on the floor at the events at the very least.”

Her three subordinate agents nodded at that directive. “Rigsby, Cho, and Van Pelt: remember what I told you about professionalism. I will be moving out to Santa Monica on Sunday. That’s when the deepest part of this cover begins. Van Pelt, as soon you and Rigsby return, I want you to start running background on the contestants. Cho, you’re in charge of...”

Haffner cleared his throat. “I am the highest ranking agent here, so I am in charge.”

“True, but I am their boss.” She pointed to the three agents. “They follow my orders and have been instructed to cooperate with all task force directives. As their boss, I have assigned them to ensure my security. Cho is the most senior agent of the three, so he’s in charge of my security. You can do whatever you’d like, but THEY are in charge of my security.”

She could tell she struck a nerve with Haffner because he could barely contain his rage as he responded. “You’re undercover. How the hell do you suppose you’re calling shots from some little bikini shoot? I’m the ranking agent here, and I will call the shots. Do you not trust me to maintain your safety?”

Honestly, no. She didn’t trust him. Truth be told: the only thing she could be sure was guaranteeing her safety in this room with him right now was the presence of the other four agents. “Haffner, they’re my team.” She had raised her voice a bit, but she wanted him to understand this was her final word on the matter.

“Bullshit!” Now, he was yelling. Even Ron, who was rather passive, had raised his eyebrows. “I’m in charge, and if you or any of your little baby agents have something to say about it, you can take it up with Minelli. Maybe he can break down the hierarchy to you, if you won’t listen to me.”

“My understanding is this is my assignment. I’m calling the shots with regards to my team, and it would be nice if you respected my authority to manage my subordinates without questioning that in front of them or insulting us.”

He scoffed at her. “That bastard, your little puppet master Jane, has you working against your best interests, Teresa. I really hope you see that before it’s too late for you or for your career.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You’re undercover, babysitting Jane, and still trying to manage the operation. Don’t you think you’re taking on a little too much?”

Rigsby raised his eyebrows, and she could tell he was about to speak. She raised her hand to stop him. She didn’t need them having bad blood on her account because years of experience working with these men told her that’s exactly where this was headed. “Again, this has nothing to do with Jane. It has everything to do with my authority, as your equal, to manage my agents. If you think that’s an authority I don’t have, I can get Minelli on the line now.”

His eyes went completely dark again. She could tell she had won the argument--for now. The insults or barbs would follow, but she had won. “Fine. Whatever. Go through your career only trusting in Jane and see where that gets you. Probably in a grave near his wife and kid.”

Her eyes went wide with shock. Of all the things she had expected him to say, that was not one. It was calculated, cold, and cruel. Such was her shock that she didn’t have time to stop Cho who had unfolded his arms and walked in between them, facing Haffner. “Maybe we should spell out the reasons why Jane is more trusted than you or why you are completely out of line right now.”

She moved around Cho and steeled her voice before she started speaking. “You know, Ray. I put up with a lot of your shit, and I do mean a lot. That’s a completely unprofessional and unbecoming thing to say about a colleague.”

He interrupted her quickly. “That circus freak is not my colleague, nor is he yours. Just because he’s a temporary amusement doesn’t make him one of us. I pray we catch Red John so we can finally be rid of him. He’s going to destroy you, and you will let him do it because you won’t use your head and accept my help.”

Without missing a beat because her rage would not allow her to, she jumped right in. “You will not speak of him like that! He’s one of us even if he doesn’t carry the hardware. He sure as hell has a lot more heart than some of you and is committed to our team. So keep your fucking comments to yourself, and have some self-respect, you unbearable asshole!” She wasn’t exactly sure when she started yelling, but she noticed how quiet the room had gone once she finished.

The room was very stale after that. She was incredibly pissed off and slightly embarrassed by her own response for all she preached professionalism to her team. Haffner just found new ways to take it a step too far. In a near whisper, Lisbon motioned to Grace. “You should probably get me back.” 

“Of course, boss.” 

Haffner just sat there rubbing his face. “Teresa, wait…”

“No, I’m done with this conversation.” She grabbed her belongings, and got outside as quickly as possible. As soon as Grace joined her outside, they walked to her car.

Most of their ride was in silence, with Lisbon staring out of the passenger window, until Grace broke it. “Boss, I know you don’t like to talk about personal stuff, but can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Why don’t you speak to Minelli about Haffner? You know, make a report?” She looked at the younger agent.

Lisbon started laughing at the question. It wasn’t a happy laugh, but more of a sardonic one. One that matched the way one of Red John’s smiley faces looked. “About what?”

“The way he talks to you. He, um, he obviously makes you uncomfortable. And that’s harassment. We all saw it. And I heard that last Christmas…”

Lisbon’s head shot up and she looked at Grace. “Last Christmas, what?”

“Well, he told people you went home with him. I’m sorry. I heard him talking about it at the office. I assumed it’s not true because he specifically said it so that Jane would hear it when we were getting tea. If it’s true, that’s ok too. I’m not judging. I just didn’t think it was something other people should know or be discussing around the office. I wouldn’t have said anything, but it’s just the way he treats you around the office is just gross. And if what he said about you going home with him is why he talks to you like that, it’s even more gross.” 

Lisbon was gawking at Van Pelt by the time she finished talking. “He said what?”

“That you had gone home with him.”

“In front of Jane?”

“Yes, he told me not to say anything. That you would be mortified to find out people were spreading rumors about you and that Haffner was completely full of shit.”

“Hmm. Well. He is full of shit. That explains a few things, I guess.” She shook her head. Anger didn’t even begin to cover what she was feeling. She felt the tears pooling in her eyes, but she was determined to hold them in.

“Boss, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t mean to upset you, but it’s just that it’s awful how he speaks to you, and about you even, in front of other people.”

Lisbon knew she had a point. Of course, she recognized the way he spoke to her. Well, if Grace knew this much, she may as well just tell her everything.

“Did you know that Jane and I text each other once we make it home if we’ve been out drinking?” Grace nodded. “Do you know why?” Grace was quiet for a moment and shook her head. “At the Christmas party last year, Haffner tried to put me in his car. Said he was going to take me home. Apparently, I made enough of a commotion about it that Jane and Cho came to see what was going on.”

The other woman gasped audibly. Lisbon’s voice began to break, but she was still holding on. She continued with her story.

“I told him, yelled at him even, that I didn’t want to go with him. He told me I was overreacting. I had been drinking and playing cards most of the night, and certainly wasn’t carrying, so I didn’t exactly have a way to defend myself at the time. My words should’ve been enough. After that, Jane devised a system. Well, he never told me he devised a system, but he did. We text each other to let the other know we’ve arrived safely. I can’t believe that son of a bitch is telling people I went home with him.”

“Boss...that’s attempted kidnapping and assault.”

“I know what it is, Grace. It’s my word against his. Cho and Jane diffused the situation. Nothing happened. We’d all been drinking. I never want to be the story, especially around the FBI.”

“He harrasses you, he nearly assaults you, and he is very unprofessional. The way he is around you...we notice. Rigsby actually re-thought going to the doctor with me tomorrow when we found out he was on the advance team. I understand why you don’t want him in charge of your security, and I think Minelli should know.”

“Then, I’d be the girl who couldn’t take a joke or who tried to railroad a really nice guy who was just trying to help her.” Her sarcasm made its return.

Ignoring the last part of her comment, Grace continued. “Hurting someone isn’t a joke, and I would never consider him a nice guy.”

Lisbon laughed darkly. “No, but we work around a group of men who may be friendly today but would close ranks as soon as they caught wind of a harassment report. They could’ve watched him throw me into his car with their own eyes, but they’d band together for him. I’ve seen it happen before. No, thank you.”

“So he is allowed to get away with that? And talk to you that way?”

Lisbon looked at her subordinate with a bit of consternation. She knew she could pull rank and easily end this conversation, but they were speaking as friends. And Grace had a point. None of it was okay. At some level, she hoped she wasn’t setting a bad example for the young agent. “I stood my ground with him and would do it again in a heartbeat.”

“I see. But you know if you ever did want to file a complaint, we would all stand behind you, right? I mean, we all see how he acts all the time.”

“I appreciate it, Grace. But no one needs to throw themselves under the bus for me. And you know what? Rigsby doesn’t need to try to help me. Cho doesn’t have to speak for me. None of you do. I can take care of myself.” She turned herself to gaze out of the passenger window. “Nothing good lasts anyway.” 

She could see Grace’s frown from the corner of her eye, but she did look at her. “But boss, we would stand with you. We do stand with you. You know that, right?” Lisbon didn’t respond.

With that, they finished their car ride in silence. She really hoped Jane wasn’t up to anything crazy, especially his ridiculous bit about the tiara. She wasn’t in the mood. Exiting the car, she politely thanked Grace and went inside. Once inside, she found Jane with Madeleine and Sammy.

“There’s my Miss America!” He exclaimed while clapping his hands. Obviously, their moods were not going to match this afternoon. “We are joined with Madeleine today to get you outfitted with your jewelry pieces for the pageant.” 

Madeleine just smiled slyly at Lisbon. This obviously wasn’t her idea, but she had gone along with it. Though, she definitely noticed the other woman was dressed down in jeans, boots, and a leather jacket. It was almost like an ensemble Lisbon would wear on a normal day of work.

“Your wardrobe will arrive tomorrow for the final fittings, but here I have the designs for all of your pieces. Patrick wanted to make sure you had something nice to wear, and I’m told Sammy is one of the best jewelers in the area.” 

The middle-aged man nodded along with the praise that Madeleine had heaped upon him. “Besides, it’s good for my business to outfit a Miss America contestant.”

She glared at Jane, her question just below the surface. “Uh, Sammy is renting us some pieces for the pageant. If you lose them, you’re on your own.”

“Oh. Ok.” To her amazement, Madeleine didn’t correct her.

She opened her folder and showed them the different dress designs that would be arriving the next day. Honestly, Lisbon couldn’t wait to try these dresses on. They all looked gorgeous. “Here’s what we have. Are you planning to wear your cross for the pageant?”

She hadn’t really thought about it. Her and her mother’s cross were basically one at this point. “I would like to wear it, but I’m open to wearing something else if necessary.”

Jane intervened. “It’s her mother’s.”

Madeleine nodded. “Well, since you already have a beautiful bracelet, I think we just need earrings.”

Sammy showed them to his earring collection. They picked out a few different pairs for her to wear throughout her events. What she hadn’t noticed while they were doing that was Jane had splintered off and was now buried into his phone. Before her attention was back on him, he put the phone away.

“Is that all we needed then?”

“You know, I had to talk him out of a tiara?” Madeleine looked very serious for a moment before she started laughing. She leaned into Lisbon and whispered in her ear. “I told him you’d have to just win a crown. Besides, tiaras are for weddings.” For some reason, that made Lisbon smile, too. Over the past week, she’d grown to quite appreciate Madeleine’s company.

As Jane and Lisbon were walking to the car, Jane told her that he needed to catch up with Madeleine for a moment. He ran to where she had been parked and spoke with her. She had no idea what they discussed, but he placed his hand on her elbow and she nodded in agreement with whatever it was.

When they got back to their suite, Lisbon took a nice long bath in her spa tub to get the stench of her workout and the filth of her day off of her. She knew she’d miss this tub once she was out of this room. She had long since decided against skating tonight, even if it might do her some good. She just put on her sleeping jersey and a pair of shorts Grace had picked up for her. She met Jane out in the living space to see what they might do for dinner.

However, it seemed he already had dinner ready. “Jane, what’s this?” It’s not that she couldn’t tell there were two large pizzas and two six-packs of beer sitting on the table in front of the sofa. It’s just that Madeleine had expressly prohibited this kind of eating last week. 

“A cheat meal approved by Madeleine Hightower herself.” She highly doubted Madeleine had approved this, but this wouldn’t be the first, or last, time she suspended disbelief for Jane.

“Really?”

“Really, it’s what I went to ask her before we pulled away. She agreed that you’d worked hard for the past week and a half and that this shouldn’t throw you off too bad, even with your final fittings tomorrow. Besides, I got what was dubbed LA’s finest pizzeria’s Chicago deep dish. Allegedly, it’s the best deep dish.” He knew he’d get her there.

“Aww, well thanks for the treat, but I sincerely doubt it’s the best deep dish--or that it qualifies as deep dish. No such thing outside of Chicago really.”

“I guess you’ll have to try a slice out. Let me know what you think after.” 

She shrugged her shoulders and grabbed a plate. She couldn’t argue with that. He took a seat beside her on the sofa, grabbing a look at her wrist to see if she was wearing her bracelet. Thankfully, she wasn’t. “I also cued up Love & Basketball. Thought a comfort movie and some pizza and beer would help you relax before the big event, and you know, to relive your glory days of basketball stardom.”

She nudged his arm. “Ha ha.”

They ate their food while watching the film. He noticed how relaxed she seemed watching this film. It was definitely a lot different than her mood when she had first met him at Sammy’s this afternoon. About midway through, he paused the movie. 

“Do you gotta get up?” She had leaned in on him a bit and hadn’t even noticed until he paused the movie, inching away a bit.

“No. I wanted to check on you.” She looked a little confused, so he kept going. “Grace told me what happened today at the command center with Haffner.”

She rolled her eyes and sat all the way up. “Of course she did. After all, you’ve trained Grace to be quite the little confidant, haven’t you?”

“Don’t flip this on Grace. She’s concerned about you like any friend would be.”

“I’m her boss, not her friend.”

“Yes, her boss who’s currently not only covering her pregnancy but her relationship because you like her. We both know it’s true.” Lisbon glared at him, but that didn’t stop him from picking right up where he left off. “Though, I assumed from how concerned that it’s more than what happened at the command center. You told her about last Christmas didn’t you?” 

Lisbon looked down and away from him. “I did.”

“Hmm. Well, she was so concerned that you’d spend the evening upset that she reached out to me. She’s a good friend, you know?”

“I know.”

“What did he say to you? I’m assuming it was something that undermined every shred of authority you have.”

“Yes.” She sighed and jumped up from the sofa. “Jane...I’m so fucking tired! Does anyone in that office take me seriously? You tell me the truth!”

“Yes.”

“I don’t believe that’s true.”

“Cho, Rigsby, Van Pelt, Minelli, Wainwright…”

“Do you know what Grace told me?”

“About Haffner’s little story after Christmas?”

“Yes. So everyone thinks I went home with him? That I...I slept with him?”

“I think that was mostly for my benefit and well calculated. I think he knows that if I were to punch him out in the middle of the office, Minelli might be forced to rethink my consultantship with the FBI. But also if he said it too loud and Minelli caught wind of it, he might be in trouble when he had to explain himself.” She just shook her head. “And besides? What difference would it make if his story was true? In any case, you did nothing to be ashamed of, while he should be very ashamed. He either tried to kidnap a colleague, or he’s a braggart. Either way, that’s all him.”

“I just feel like people are always laughing at me.”

“I wouldn’t tell a psychiatrist that.”

“Jane! I’m being serious! He came in and not only undermined my authority, but he basically said if I fuck up and die because I won’t let him watch me on video, it’s my fault. Do people think I’m incompetent?”

“No. No one thinks that. I don’t even think he thinks that. He wanted to get a rise out of you. Whatever his little obsession with you is, it involves getting you to see him as your protector, like your knight in shining armor. He wants you to see that he’s the only one who can save you.”

“I don’t need saving.”

“I know that. What did Grace say to you?”

She took a moment to respond as Jane motioned her back to the sofa by reaching out his hand and taking hers. She sat down beside him once more, still holding Jane’s hand. “She asked why I haven’t filed a complaint against him. I didn’t feel judged or anything, but you know, she was right. None of it’s okay.”

“None of it?”

“Today, he asked if I didn’t trust him with my protection and proceeded to blow up when I said Cho was in charge of my security. The way he looked at me, it made my blood run cold. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could trust him in that room if four other agents hadn’t been present. I carry a gun for a living, and he…” She paused, finding it hard to say what she wanted to say, what she had felt since last Christmas.

He searched for her eyes. Finding them, he squeezed her hand, prompting her to continue. “It’s ok. You can say it out loud. It’s just me, and I already know. I think it’s important for you to say it though.”

She looked away. “He terrifies me. We’re a team, a brotherhood. I should feel confident the person running the command center is someone I trust. Not someone who might do worse than the serial killing terrorist I’m trying to catch.”

“I don’t think she’s wrong that you should report him. I get why you don’t want to. You don’t want to be the odd woman out, but I have news for you Lisbon: you already are. You’re a much better person and beautiful soul than most of them could ever hope to be. You’re also a better agent. Why do you think you’re Minelli’s favorite?”

She shook her head. “I’m not his favorite.”

“You are his favorite. He loves you like you were his own kid. Don’t argue with me, woman. I’ve seen it. Nothing gets past my observational skills.” That made her smile a bit. “I mean it. You needn’t worry about fitting in when you’re already leagues ahead.”

“You don’t know what it’s like.”

“I don’t, but to hear you say he terrifies you scares me. You shouldn’t feel like you need four other people in the room with him to be safe. You should trust your gut, and do what’s right. There’s always the option where you don’t report him. I can continue to use the tricks at my disposal to get under his skin and maybe even get him out of a job, if you’re feeling peckish.” 

She giggled a bit and swatted him in the chest with her free hand at that. “Don’t you dare! Just let me handle this ok? Grace said that they stood with me, and the way Rigsby and Cho were acting...”

“They care. You’re not just their boss, and they see exactly how he gets under your skin. You don’t have to handle it alone.” He squeezed her hand again. He had half-expected her to let go, but she didn’t. Nor did he mind it. He hit play and they sat there watching the rest of this movie, hand in hand. At some point they had dozed off like that. Well, her head was leaned on his shoulder. This time, he woke up first. He wasn’t sure what to do. Surely, she wouldn’t be well rested come morning if she slept that way. He thought more about it, taking too long to think it through because he also fell back to sleep. 

When Lisbon woke to the sun peering in through the window, she was a little confused about where she was for a moment because it wasn’t her house and she was with someone. But then, the startling realization that she was sleeping beside Jane on the sofa in their suite hit her. She didn’t want to jump up and startle him. She remembered falling asleep during their last movie, but they were definitely sitting up right. They must have shifted during the night, but somehow, they were still holding hands.

She wondered if this would freak him out or if he would be awkward. They just slept side by side. That’s it. After a moment of internal debate, she determined the best thing to do was rip off the bandaid and wake him. Besides, she had to go to the bathroom and would need her hand back for that. 

Lifting her head above him, she gently nudged his shoulder. “Jane, wake up.” He elicited a sleepy moan. “I need you to wake up.”

“Teresa…” Another sleepy moan. She realized he might be a deep sleeper, but she never thought him to be a deep sleeper when he napped in her office. Well, she didn’t boast about her bladder of steel for nothing. Suddenly, she was glad her appointment with Madeleine and Max for the fittings was much later this morning.

“Jane! Wake up!”

He opened his eyes at that, noticing they were still holding hands. “Teresa...if you’re going to sleep nestled into my side all night and hover above me when I wake, call me Patrick.” This time, she swatted his shoulder. “Is it time to get up? This is cozy.” Obviously, he wasn’t full awake yet.

“Not if you don’t want to, but I need my hand so I can go to the bathroom.”

“Ok.” He released her hand, and she climbed over him to get to her bathroom. Almost immediately, he rolled over and went back to sleep. She went to the bathroom, but she was a little confused as to whether she should return the sofa. It was an awkward, but exhilarating, experience to wake up that way. She hadn’t rested that well in a long time. He had that effect on her. It was calming and soothing, but it was definitely something else. Perhaps it was why she laughed at Madeleine’s comment about tiaras being for weddings. 

She decided she was thinking too much. They needed to catch Red John--and they would get the bastard this time. Instead of thinking any more, she decided to go for a run and clear her head. That usually did the trick, except it couldn’t make the gnawing in her belly and the warmth that waking up next to Jane made her feel.

Perhaps she didn’t know yet, but she was already gone. Though she needn’t worry; so was he. As he made his morning tea, he realized that was the best night’s sleep he had in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things. 
> 
> (1) Through a bit of research on pageantry, I learned that tiaras are actually worn at weddings and should be worn (preferably) by married women. I thought that was especially interesting in how Jane either tries to put a tiara on Lisbon or mentions she needs one.
> 
> (2) I wasn't sure about the Haffner bit, but it made sense to me. In chapter 1, I received a comment that I had made him a little worse than in canon. Tbh, Haffner creeps me out and when he visits Lisbon in her hospital room in 6x02. It's a truly terrifying moment & I love the way Robin plays it. He might be the most terrifying character on the show besides maybe Bertram because there's something truly frightening in seeing men like them have the kind of access that they do. I just wanted to explore that here a bit because it definitely starts to wear Lisbon down in the series. Shout out to Lorastardust for letting me talk this through a few weeks ago!
> 
> (3) I tried really hard to keep the team close to canon because I think they'd let Lisbon handle these things herself (like when they go out and the locals are sexist) because she's their boss and they respect that, but I also think they'd start to reach a breaking point. 
> 
> Anyway, before I type basically a whole meta chapter in the notes, let me be quiet. Let me know what you think! Next up: we meet the other contestants!


	7. Under Pressure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lisbon arrives in the pageant world, and we meet the (beauty) queens!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, this one came out longer than I imagined, but I figured you'd appreciate both plot and Jisbon!

On Sunday, as they had planned for weeks, it was time for Lisbon to move to the hotel in Santa Monica for the week’s pageant events. Jane joked about holding the home front down in her absence. If she were to be honest with herself (in the kind of honesty that she liked to avoid), the suite did kind of feel like home. They had a routine. It was...cozy. However, she was ready to get on with this assignment and try to get Red John.

Funny enough, this morning as she prepared to transition to the next stage of the assignment was the first morning Jane was actually up and out in the living space before any of the beauty team arrived. Sleepily, she went out to make her a cup of coffee in the Keurig, but instead, she found a surprise.

“Here you go, sleepy head!” He handed her a cup of coffee that he knew she would likely savor.

“Mmm thanks.”

“That was not a full sentence.”

“Oh shut up. It’s too early for that shit.” They stood around the kitchenette area for a few minutes. She was sipping her coffee, and he was sipping his tea.

“So what time is Madeleine coming over?”

“They will be here at 7, so in like 45 minutes, I guess?”

“Ah. I don’t begrudge that you have to get up hours and hours ahead of time to get ready for your day.” 

She made a face at that. “Yeah, me neither. I just hope there’s coffee at this place they’re sending me.”

“I’m sure there will be.”

“So what’s your plan?”

“My plan?”

“What are you going to do while I’m on the inside? I know you have something up your sleeve. It’s why I haven’t demanded you stay at the command center yet. Well, that and that would not be the place where your skills are best served. So tell me, Patrick Jane, what’s the plan.”

He raised his eyebrows at that. She had him there. No, she hadn’t explicitly commanded him to do anything...and not that he would if it conflicted with his plans. He was just surprised to hear the casualness in her voice at him not listening to her.

“Well, Madeleine and I have worked up a rapport. I will stay with her and work the crowds. You know, just observe what’s going on. I can be the eyes on you….” Her eyes widened as she caught that little slip up, as he moved quickly to try to correct it. “Come on. Don’t be childish. I mean, the eyes in the room. I know Cho, Rigsby, Van Pelt, and others will float around the place during public events. You know, Wainwright is probably the best to have on the floor if at all possible. At least he doesn’t look like an old creeper like the rest of them.”

She guffawed at that, earning its intended effect. She sat her coffee cup down on the counter, crossing her arms and rubbing her shoulders. “Jane, I need you to promise me.”

“Promise you what?”

“That you won’t go running off, chasing down leads without letting anyone in on them. If you find something, let Cho and the team in on it if you can’t pass it directly onto me. That’s all I’m asking. Please don’t put yourself in harm’s way. As soon as he notices you are there and sees us, he’s going to try to draw you out and play cat and mouse games. It will be to distract you, to get under your skin. Don’t indulge him. If we do this right, we stop a terror attack on a group of unsuspecting women and completely end a reign of terror.”

He regarded her words for a moment. “He’s mine when we catch him.”

“You say that now, like you’ve said since I’ve known you. You have every right to want vengeance--but that’s not our way. We are officers of the law, and we have to do this right...but knowing you, you already have a decent criminal defense attorney who is significantly in your debt.” He nodded his head. She placed her hand on his elbow and met his eyes before she continued. “But my point is that I know how bad you want this, to put Angela and Charlotte at peace. If we do this right, we actually catch the right guy and he never sees the light of day again. Don’t do anything that disrupts their peace or yours. You deserve to be at peace, too.”

With that, she grabbed her cup of coffee and went to her room to get showered and prepped for Madeleine’s arrival. She knew he wasn’t going to give an inch on wanting to exact vengeance on Red John. She would just have to deal with that when it came to it. Hopefully, she’d be there to stop him. Deep down, she didn’t disagree with him. A killer as organized as Red John, who had caused as much heartache, was about as close to evil as humanly possible. However, she meant what she said. Their job was justice, not vengeance.

Madeleine, Brittany, Zoey, and Kayla arrived promptly at 7am to officially get her day started. That morning, the Miss America pageant had scheduled a brunch for all 50 contestants. To say that her nerves had returned was an understatement. Though Madeleine had laid out the outfit for brunch before packing up the rest of her wardrobe for Santa Monica, she still wanted to be on hand to ensure a smooth transition into the first day of pageantry.

“I can practically hear you thinking, Gracie.” While Madeleine had always been about the pageant business, today she was in stealth mode.

“Finn mentioned that he might hang back with you during the pageant. Is that ok with you?” 

Her beauty consultant regarded her for just a moment before answering. “It is absolutely fine. It’s not uncommon for a contestant’s boyfriend to be waiting in the wings. Obviously, he won’t be allowed in restricted areas. I think I can keep him busy though.”

She looked up at her, disrupting whatever Brittany was doing to her hair, earning a heavy sigh from the hair stylist. Everyone was a little on edge this morning. “Are you sure?”

“It is. It’s rather obvious how much he cares about you and wants to provide you the support to do well at every step of the way.”

Lisbon blushed slightly and smiled softly. “Well, my success is something that we both want.”

Picking up on the true meaning of her words, Madeleine didn’t miss a beat, laying her head on Lisbon’s shoulder. “I know that your success is something we all want. I just think Finn wants a lot more for you and him both.” Lisbon narrowed her eyes at the last part as Madeleine patted her shoulder. 

She heard Kayla snicker as she was working on her nails, but Brittany simply continued her work. Kayla, the young woman who she learned was actually Madeleine’s niece, spoke. “You do know we also work weddings, right?” As Lisbon’s blush deepened and she stumbled over her words, she heard Madeleine giggle at that. She truly giggled--and that’s when Teresa Lisbon knew she might be in trouble.

“Enough teasing, ladies. Let’s get Gracie ready to go. She needs to feel relaxed and ready to shine when she leaves this room.” Madeleine winked at her.

Once she had her hair, makeup, and nails done, she stepped out in the same forest green dress she had worn to lunch with Madeleine just over a week ago. Only, just over a week ago now felt like a lifetime ago. As Madeleine had arranged, a town car took her and all of her new belongings to the hotel where the events would take place. The two women rode together to the pageant venue. Lisbon noted just how different Madeleine looked that day. She was wearing a tailored skirt suit that was in a light pink color and trimmed in black with black heels. She was sure that it was a designer piece that she had specially tailored because it seemed to fight her like a glove. 

With a slight frown, Madeleine noticed Lisbon was looking at her. “You’re staring.”

Lisbon immediately felt shock like a child who had been caught watching something they weren’t supposed to see. “No...I mean, yes I was. I was just thinking about how different you look today. You change your clothes and hair just a bit and you look different. Like is she a savvy business woman? Cop? Beauty consultant? That’s all.”

Once again, the consultant smiled. “I thank you for your compliment about my ability to fit into a multitude of situations.” Now, Lisbon returned the smile. “There aren’t many women who look like me at these events, let alone coaching and mentoring women at a national level. Even the pageant itself is run by two guys who look like politicians--and not the fun kind. When I’m in these spaces, I like to own who I am in all of its glory. I take up all of the space that I need to be me.”

Lisbon thought about her words for a moment. “I hadn’t really thought about that--at least not like that. I suppose I could stand to wear more dresses at the office.” Both women laughed aloud at that.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grace Van Pelt may have been the rookie of the team, but she knew enough to know they were in trouble. 

She rubbed her belly. On their way back from Sacramento, she’d confided in Rigsby. She told him about her conversation with Lisbon, which had upset him as much as her.

“I don’t understand. He’s definitely a creep. It’s awkward to watch. She should report him!”

“Wayne, she doesn’t feel like she can.”

“I’ve never trusted him. He’s always just stared at her too long, you know?”

“Please don’t tell her I said anything. I am worried about her. I told her we would stand by her if she decided to report.”

“Damn right we would! Any pathetic piece of shit that would try something like that doesn’t even deserve his badge.”

Even in a moment of sheer rage, there he was. Still her Wayne, one of the best men she had ever known. He and Cho respected Lisbon as much as she did. 

Honestly, she never cared for Haffner, while he didn’t say abusive things to her, she observed the way he spoke to her boss. She not only valued Lisbon’s mentorship and respect, but she respected her greatly. Haffner just grossed her out. So when they returned to find Haffner still raging, she knew there would be trouble. It was only a matter of time.

“I cannot believe I am being shut out of this operation! Jane put her up to this, didn’t he?” For the better part of the day, Haffner raged that he was the most senior agent and deserved respect. He wouldn’t budge and swore that Jane put Lisbon up this plan. In fact, Van Pelt was sure the opposite was true. Jane did not plan this because if he had, they still wouldn’t even know what the plan was. No, this was Lisbon’s plan for the operation, and she wasn’t sure why Haffner was convinced otherwise.

“We will have plenty of agents on the ground, and Lisbon is well-trained. She knows what she’s doing. If we are all there, we are going to stick out like sore thumbs.” She could hear Cho’s frustration. According to Cho, he had raged ever since they left, and that rage was compounded by the fact that he wouldn’t give the man Lisbon’s undercover phone number. He screamed about needing access, to Cho’s insistence that he was being bullheaded and that anyone who needed access to her already had it.

“You know, Agent Haffner, the more people in contact with her, the more likely her cover is to be blown.” She had hoped she could appease him on that front and make him see reason.

“So that’s why Jane is in with her? Because he’s so good at maintaining cover and not drawing unnecessary attention to himself?” To Grace, all of this seemed rather personal. He came off sounding like an abusive, jealous ex, but she wasn’t going to tell him that.

Even once LaRoche and Wainwright arrived and were in agreement with Cho’s security plans, Haffner was still angry. Now, he was angry that they hadn’t agreed with him that he was the best to maintain contact with Lisbon. He swore that only he could maintain her security. While she couldn’t tell what LaRoche thought during the tirade, she could tell Wainwright was making interesting faces that told her he found this argument as bizarre as the rest of them did.

Finally, it happened. The tension broke, and fists flew. For all that she had asked him not to get involved, Rigbsy broke on Sunday morning. “I should be there to protect her. What the hell is Jane going to do?”

“Protect her? You want to be there to protect her?”

“Rigsby.” Cho spoke in a warning tone, but it was too little too late as Rigsby stepped closer to Haffner.

“She’s fine! She can handle herself. She could take any one of us in this room, and Jane is there to guide her. She knows what she’s doing! He is actually a good resource, unlike a sorry waste of space like you who’s just lapping at the chance to play her fake boyfriend. Can you even hear how pathetic you sound?”

“Wayne…” Grace tried a softer voice to try to get through to him.

“You’re calling me pathetic? How long are you planning to play Jane’s lap dog and listen to mommy’s orders?” He looked over at Grace. “Why don’t you listen to your little girlfriend and sit your ass down.”

He didn’t even have time to react as Rigsby’s fist connected with his jaw. He made it to charge at Rigsby, but Ron grabbed him.

“Come on, that’s enough!” LaRoche yelled. “That’s more than enough. We are not acting very professional this morning.”

“Oh fuck professionalism! You’re done, Rigsby! You are fucking done. Get your shit and get back to Sacramento. Now! I’m having you brought up on disciplinary action. I’m calling Minelli.” Grace averted her eyes and placed her forehead in her hands as Ron and Wainwright kept Rigsby to the other side of the room.

“You can’t just send him back like that.” Cho intervened again.

“Yes, I can, and for all I care, you can go with him. In fact, that’s a great idea! We just need Van Pelt to run the equipment. I can get locals to run the rest with me. I’m tired. Jane has you all wrapped around his little finger, and none of you so-called Special Agents can see it. He’s going to get her hurt.”

Cho had obviously reached his limit, too. “Because someone who sounds as erratic and desperate as you do right now is better situated to objectively conduct an investigation that’s a matter of national security? Do you know how many times you’ve mentioned Jane and Lisbon? She’s our lead undercover and Jane is helping her, but it’s not about them. You realize that, right? It’s about catching Red John.”

“And we’re going to catch him. Just not with you two, Bert and Ernie.” He pulled out his phone and started to call Minelli. He walked out of the room, as Van Pelt, Cho, and Rigsby all just looked at each other, hoping they weren’t in hot water.

Once again, Grace found herself texting Jane to tell them they had a situation and that she would be out to visit him shortly. If Haffner got his way, he would need a comm so that he could listen because Haffner would surely limit the information he got through official channels. Suddenly, Haffner stormed back into the room.

“Ok, boss. You’re on speaker. I want them to hear this.”

“Agents, Agent Haffner tells me that you’ve been fighting. Is that true?”

Rigbsy moved to answer. “SSA Minelli, it is, but….”

“No. Don’t. I don’t want an explanation. I was rather clear with Agent Lisbon and she should have been clear with you. Your cooperation is required. There will be no fighting. He’s correct that he has rank. This assignment is much too important for you to be fighting and messing around and challenging his leadership.” Oh, Haffner was practically glowing. She wondered what he said on the phone. “Did you hit him, Agent Rigsby?”

“I did, sir. But if I may…”

“I said I didn’t want an explanation! Now, he has asked that you and Agent Cho be returned to Sacramento. I’m inclined to agree, and I have to say I’m rather disappointed in both of you. This is not behavior becoming of an FBI agent. There will be disciplinary action.” Grace looked around the room for support from any of the other agents because they’d witnessed Haffner’s tirades, but they had all seemed to tune everything out that was happening. It was just business as usual as Haffner raged on and on. “Get back here. Now. Both of you.”

“Yes, sir.” They answered in unison, except they didn’t go back. 

An hour later, Grace slipped out to meet with Jane.

He immediately noticed something was wrong. “What? What is it?”

“Cho and Rigsby have been sent back to Sacramento. Haffner was just...ranting like a lunatic about having access to Lisbon. Risgby lost his cool and punched him. Haffner got Minelli involved, and he wants them back. They’re in trouble.” She sighed in frustration.

Jane ran his hand through his hair. “He baited them.” Grace nodded in agreement. “It’s no matter. We will handle this. We are all that we need.”

“Well, I had to give Haffner her number. I’d be surprised if he hasn’t filled her inbox by now.”

“No, he knows better than that.”

“He was unhinged, and he’s taking this very personally. I can’t believe no one tried to reason with him or speak up for Cho and Rigsby.”

Now, it was his turn to sigh. “Grace…”

“I know. I’m not completely naive. It’s what she warned me about, but it’s quite another thing to watch it happen in real time. Minelli didn’t even want to hear from Rigsby or Cho. He just assumed whatever Haffner said, or didn’t say, was the whole truth on the matter.” She held out her hand.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a comm for you. I have a feeling that Haffner is going to order me to limit official communications to you. He wants to handle Lisbon himself. He thinks that you are going to get her killed. That was actually part of the argument: whether an agent with her years of experience could actually handle this assignment without his leadership.” She rolled her eyes at that. It made her stomach roil. Truly.

Jane grabbed the comm and placed his hand on Grace’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. He just wants to insert himself in the case, and that has me thinking.” He paused for a moment. “You didn’t do anything wrong. The fact that you’re still in means you did something right: Haffner doesn’t see you as a threat to his authority like he saw Cho and Rigsby. We can use that. Thank you for bringing me this. Can you do me one favor?”

“What?”

“Please don’t read Lisbon in on what’s happened until she’s finished out her day. She’s already under enough stress.”

She mulled over his words for a moment. “She needs to know...but I can see your point. I just don’t want her to be mad at me for not providing important updates.”

“Oh, trust me: she won’t be mad at you. You’re not the one who’s about to derail this case.” He reached into his pocket and handed Grace a card. “Here, this is for Risgby and Cho. It’s a key to the suite where Lisbon and I were staying. Technically, it’s where I’m still staying, but I think I’ll just get a room here on my own dime. Besides, I like the atmosphere better.”

She looked at him in confusion for a moment. “Sure. The atmosphere. They’re supposed to go back.”

“Sure, but what if they took some of that personal time they have? What if they attended the pageant on their own time as citizens? Maybe they’re sick. I’m sure they’ll think of some reason to disobey a direct order.”

She nodded her head. “If they stay, they will also be going in blind. No comms. No weapons. And if they’re busted, they’re in even more trouble. Lisbon wouldn’t approve this.”

He waved his hand at her. “Let me worry about Lisbon. When presented with the opportunity, they will know the risks. They won’t care. They’re invested in the work, and believe me, if I trust any of the men in the CBI to actually care about Lisbon’s safety and catching Red John, it’s them.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once Lisbon’s car arrived at the venue, Madeleine directed Lisbon to go to the registration area to get her credentials while she immediately started directing the hotel staff in delivering her items to her room and getting them into place for her. Looking at the schedule, Madeleine wanted to make sure they were prepared for the outfit change this afternoon before the rehearsal.

While Madeleine got everything into place, Lisbon sheepishly walked to the registration area. The few tables set up for contestants to check in seemed rather unassuming. 

“Hello, welcome to the Miss America pageant. I’m Marcus. Marcus Pike. I think I can safely assume you are a contestant.” 

She smiled. “Gracie Lou Freebush of California.” 

“Where are you from?” The man staffing the check-in table was rather chatty.

“Sacramento. Are you local?”

“I am currently based here in LA.” She couldn’t help but notice the large ring on his finger with the red B in the center.

“You said your name is Marcus Pike? You played for the Red Sox?”

He looked at his hand and flexed it. “I did! Second baseman.”

“Wow. And you were with them in 2013 when they took the series?”

“Absolutely!”

“Well, I’ve never met anyone who’s won a World Series before.” Hopefully, it wouldn’t seem odd that she knew so much about baseball.

“You have now. You have a nice name.” Almost immediately upon saying it, she could see the regret on his scrunched up face. “Ok, even I heard how bad that sounded. You have a nice name, but what I wanted to say is that you are very beautiful.”

“Wow, you must say that to all of the girls who check in for this beauty pageant.” With a flick of her wrist, she was teasing him.

“You’re not going to make this easy are you?” He smiled slightly.

“Well, it depends. Are you trying to ask me out? I’d have to see if my boyfriend is ok with it. I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.” She did a mock hand wave and pretended she was looking around for someone. It’s not that the olive-skinned man with dark eyes and hair that matched his goatee was unattractive. He was very attractive, but for some reason, she just wasn’t interested. 

“Ouch. Okay. I should have known a woman like you wouldn’t be single.”

“A woman like me?” She raised her brows. Teresa would tell him off, but Gracie would make polite conversation.

“Beautiful. I wasn’t gassing you up. You’re gorgeous. You know about baseball and were the first woman to actually speak to me like a human all day.” She actually laughed at that. Of course she noticed the ring! Anyone paying attention would notice that enormous, flashy piece he was wearing in public. He wanted it to be noticed.

“Well, ok. I can forgive that, even if I am taken.”

“If he doesn’t put a ring on your finger after this, you have a standing invite to call me any time.” She couldn’t deny that he was kinda cute, even if a little forward. Suddenly, she remembered that there were a bunch of colleagues listening in at the command center, so it was probably best to move on. 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” A brunette woman suddenly appeared at her side, ignoring the fact that she had been previously speaking to someone else.

“Hello there! I’m Kim Fischer of New Jersey! Who are you?” 

“Hello, I’m Gracie Lou Freebush of California.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Gracie! I know we get the reputation for not being very friendly, but I love meeting new people, especially when they seem like they might actually say more than two words back to me.”

Lisbon just flashed one of the smiles that she and Madeleine had practiced for polite conversation as they moved away from the check-in table. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Kim. Have you met any of the other contestants yet?”

“Oh no, not yet! I think we may be at the same table.”

“Really?” A part of her really hoped they were not seated at the same table, but if she had to bond with other contestants to make this work, at least Sophie seemed nice.

“Yes, let me look at the seating chart. They have us grouped. It’s out of alphabetical order, so it’s a little confusing at times.” She watched as the other woman shuffled through her booklet. From the way she was looking at the book, Lisbon could gather that she was a rule follower, someone who was really into the ceremony of the event. “Ah yes! We are at the same table. I think we might be paired for some events.”

“That’s awesome. Should we go grab a seat?” She was really hoping the answer to that was yes. These heels weren’t the most comfortable for just standing and chatting, but as Max and Madeleine reminded her all throughout her fittings, sometimes beauty requires a little sacrifice.

“Certainly!” As they moved toward the table, the other woman kept talking. Lisbon only paid half attention to her as she had spotted the breakfast options and was suddenly much more interested in that. “Here we are!”

There were already a few women seated at the table when they sat down. “Hello, everyone!” Upon arrival, she earned an eye roll and a snide remark from the rather polished brunette sitting across from her. She was at a beauty pageant, so of course everyone here was gorgeous. But this woman’s very presence made her stand out. She almost looked like she could be a movie star.

“It’s almost like they’re letting anyone into these pageants.” The woman to her right snickered at that while the woman to her left looked like she was trying to fold herself inward. She could not fault her for doing so.

Looking directly at the woman who had made the remark, Lisbon asked: “I’m sorry?”

“Did you even style your hair this morning?” She rolled her brown eyes. Lisbon could tell a few things about this woman immediately. Surely, she had people of all genders falling at her feet, but she did not have a personality that matched the exterior.

“As a matter of fact, I did. I didn’t know my natural hair is a sin against all that makes a Miss America. I’ll be sure to run this misstep past my priest and my consultant.” It wasn’t exactly how Madeleine would have liked her to answer the question, but she wasn’t going to let this woman run all over her either. She had too many years dealing with people across the table to let that stand.

Kim laughed, and she noticed the young woman across the table smiled. “Your curls look amazing. I wish my hair held volume that way.”

“Hmm well, I suppose you’re just easily impressed.” Kim’s laugh stopped and she schooled her face, but the two brunettes across from them snickered. Obviously, the woman to the right of the woman trying to torment her was clearly up her ass. This should be interesting. Jane could probably have a field day with these women.

Readjusting her bracelet, she was ready to let it go and get down to the business of meeting the women who would be her cohort for the week. She would have to find some way to fit in, and it seemed like street rules might be better than pageant rules with this one. She would just have to see. “I’m Gracie Lou Freebush of California.”

“Pleasure. I’m Erica Flynn of New York.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Erica.”

“And you are?” She looked directly at the woman who was laughing at her expense a moment before.

She looked to Erica, who gave her a slight nod, before deciding to answer Lisbon’s question. “I’m Lorelei Martins. I’m from Florida.” 

“Nice to meet you, Lorelei.” Before she was able to ask the question, the last woman introduced herself.

“My name is Michelle Vega. I’m here from Texas. I think we are roommates.” She introduced herself with a shy smile, which Lisbon could appreciate. The atmosphere at this table wasn’t exactly friendly upon arrival.

“Michelle is the little dove of this competition,” interjected Erica, which made Michelle fold in on herself again.

“I’m sorry?”

“Obviously, she’s not experienced enough to be here. She will do fine, but she has a lot to learn to really compete at this level. This is really more an exercise in getting guidance for her. She probably didn’t have much else to do in Texas. I suppose you’re in the right cohort for learning though. We can teach her what she needs to know about the pageant life.”

Lisbon felt sorry for the young woman immediately. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that before she and Kim had sat down, they were probably tormenting Michelle who seemed quite sweet, even if shy. At least she could take the spotlight from this young woman who looked scared to death. 

“Well, I think if Michelle is here, she must have earned her place just like the rest of us and has a full pageant’s worth of material prepared.” While that earned her a scowl from Erica and a head bob from Lorelei that made her look like the villain from one of those housewives shows, Michelle’s eyes lit up. She could tell her comment landed where she wanted it to land. If she was roommates with this young woman, she needed her confidence.

Luckily, the pageant folks began the formal portion of brunch. Director Bertram got up to start the speeches and introductions. “On behalf of the Miss America Organization, I’d like to welcome all of you to the Miss America 2017 pageant.” Waiting for the round of applause to cease, he continued with his speech about the importance of this pageant to the Organization’s goals of promoting charity through womanhood or some other such flowery language. The ideas of charity, good will, and creating networks that could be fruitful for a lifetime sounded well and good. Frankly, it sounded beyond ridiculous coming from this Bertram guy, but her food had captured her attention and she didn’t care to focus on that. She trusted Van Pelt would pick up anything pertinent.

After the speeches and introductions, they turned the women loose to mingle with each other and get settled before their first dance rehearsal this afternoon. Erica and Lorelei seemed to be lost in their own little world. She wondered if they knew each other before the pageant because they seemed like a tight, toxic little duo. Kim continued to talk to her, asking questions about tonight’s dance rehearsal, while Michelle was shy but attentive to their conversation.

As the brunch broke apart, women filed out of the room. Outside, Madeleine was waiting on her.

“How was brunch?”

“Brunch was fine. I was seated with Miss Mean Girl 2017 and her best friend, but it was fine.” Her consultant chuckled at that.

“There are lots of different personalities in these competitions. That is a fact. I’m sure you relied upon your skills and handled the situation appropriately.” As they were speaking, Mr. McAllister appeared next to them.

“Madeleine. It’s good to see you back here at the pageant.” Lisbon couldn’t help but notice how her consultant’s face tensed before she schooled herself into an emotionless state.

“Thomas, it’s great to see you.”

“I was a bit surprised to hear you would be joining us again...after the unfortunate events that happened last time you worked a pageant. I thought you would have...moved on.” Though his words seemed polite, she could definitely tell there was something else there. His eyes looked cold. He waved Bertram over to their group.

“Madeleine! What a lovely surprise to see you here. And who is this?” Suddenly, they realized she was there, too.

Madeleine nodded at her. “Hi, I’m Gracie Lou Freebush of California.” Both men were immediately taken aback.

Bertram stepped in a bit closer. “Well, I think I speak for both of us when I say you clean up nicely, Agent Lisbon.” Madeleine tilted her head to the side and away, as she rolled her eyes. McAllister winked at her, and it made her skin crawl.

“I--thank you. I think. And please don’t call me that.”

He inched away while maintaining his gaze on her. “Yes, of course.”

“Well, if you gentlemen don’t mind, Gracie and I have some things we need to go over before this afternoon.”

“Not at all, Madeleine. Just remember we are running a pageant here, and we take that very seriously no matter what business you and Ms. Freebush have to attend.”

“We understand, Mr. McAllister.” She wasn’t sure why she spoke for Madeleine, but she suddenly felt very protective of her consultant. She also didn’t know why she reached out and linked arms with the other woman before turning and walking away as fast as she could go in these shoes and without losing Madeleine.

“Ungrateful bastards have never respected my work and taken every chance to gaslight me the hell out of the industry.” Madeleine was clearly upset.

“What was all of that about?”

“They have wanted me out of this pageant since they took over. The one who looks like Fester Addams had the nerve to even ask me if I didn’t think I would be a better fit in somewhere behind the scenes--as if they aren’t two ghastly looking perverts. I’m sure Red John gave them everything they ever wanted when he ran me out.”

“Ok, wow. That’s a lot to unpack.”

“You cannot tell me you don’t get strange vibes from them, especially the one who was just all in your personal space and staring at you like meat?”

“Believe me. Some of the men I work with give me the same vibe. Have they ever been inappropriate with anyone?” Again, she was suddenly aware of the fact that she was wearing a listening device on her wrist and those men she worked with could hear her. Perhaps a listening device wasn’t such a great idea. Madeleine gazed at her with a questioning look, as though she hadn’t just finished telling her about how they wanted her gone.

“With a contestant? Not that we could prove. They are shady, but they do not seem to be dumb.”

“Not that you could prove?”

Madeleine stopped walking and closed her eyes. “There were rumors that perhaps one of them was sleeping with contestants for years. I tend to keep my focus on my contestants. The woman who accused me of treating her so badly she went to work for Red John? McAllister had been a little handsy with her. Started sending her flowers and gifts. She was talking about ‘Thomas this’ and ‘Thomas that.’ She was young. Too young for the likes of Thomas McAllister to be all over her and for her to be lovestruck and taken with an older, married man. I go and talk to Bertram about it, thinking maybe he will help diffuse the situation because I mean, she was looking at wedding gowns. He starts saying maybe I should just mind my own business and not worry about it! I couldn’t abide whatever that was, so I forbid her to see him. I told her I would walk. It was unethical, but really, I could not just stand by and watch a young woman be used like that. She didn’t have a ton of positive role models in her life, and I just wanted to help. Apparently, that pushed her into the arms of a terrorist...and to her suicide.”

“I’m so sorry.” She may not have Jane’s gift for reading people, but she could sense the waves of deep remorse rolling off of her consultant.

She opened her eyes, and Lisbon could see the wetness pooling in her brown eyes. “They cover for each other. Of course, the pageant is a business venture for them, but they also see it as an opportunity for access to young women who will definitely be taken by their positions of power and authority. I haven’t heard anything about Bertram specifically, but he and McAllister are as thick as thieves. As crazy as it may sound, I’m more mournful that that beautiful young woman who wanted to be a doctor ended her life in service to a monster than I am that she lied about me. She just needed help.” Her voice broke.

Lisbon reached for her and hugged her. “It’s ok. We’re going to get him.”

Madeleine wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Ok, but we should move inside of my room before people think I’m destroying another woman’s life.” Lisbon laughed, which broke the other woman’s mood too. They finished their walk to Madeleine’s room. 

Opening the door, Madeleine went into her bathroom to compose herself. Lisbon noticed Jane lounging on the couch. That image almost always touched the most joyous center of her mind. “Pretty typical that I do all of the work and you do all of the resting.” He looked up from the book he was reading and smiled at her.

“First day of pageant activities. Are you a reformed queen now?”

“Ha ha. What are you doing lounging on the couch here?”

“I’m providing surveillance and insight?”

“In Madeleine’s room?”

“Is that an invitation to your room?” He wiggled his brows.

She swatted at his arm. “Oh stop! I have a roommate. She seems a little shy, but it’s not like she had a lot of time to talk at brunch.”

“Already making new friends, I see.”

“Oh please. The one woman couldn’t stop talking about all of the exotic vacations her various lovers have taken her on and how she was basically born to be a beauty queen.”

“Ah yes, Erica Flynn.”

“Are we alone?”

“Well, Madeleine is in her bedroom, but otherwise, yes. Kind of odd for you to wait to ascertain that fact until we have already started talking freely.”

“Please. I said nothing. How did you know I was talking about Erica Flynn?”

He shifted his head and pointed to his right ear, which held a barely noticeable comm. “Van Pelt looped me in. She wanted me to tell you she was running all of them. Erica sounded a bit pretentious, definitely a con woman who wants to convince people that she is more than she actually is. That’s why she’s throwing the constant insults and barbs. She wants everyone around her to feel inferior, and possibly, worship her.”

“It was a bit brutal, but honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I remember high school.”

“Of course, it wasn’t! You’re a very confident, well-trained agent now. I’ve seen you tackle three hundred pound men and stare down the barrel of the guns of madmen. Erica doesn’t hold the same power that she might have held over you.”

“Well, they sure shook Michelle.” At his questioning look, she continued. “She’s my roommate. She’s a little younger than the rest of the contestants in our group, and Erica was sure to bully her. Her and her friend Lorelei. She definitely seems like the type to follow but couldn’t put together a sentence on her own if she had to.”

“And what about this Kim Fischer?”

“She seemed alright. She talked a lot. You’d probably love her.”

“Like you loved Marcus Pike? You know, I don’t know that Gracie knows a lot about baseball.”

He noticed that she didn’t blush, but she tilted her head. “Oh, please. Lonely guy at the check-in table flirted with a contestant? Groundbreaking!” She flashed her hands.

“I guess as long as you weren’t flirting back. I’d hate for your boyfriend to be hurt that you took off with another man during the pageant.” He touched his heart, and she smiled widely at him as she swatted at this arm once again. At that moment, Madeleine returned. “Hey, Madeleine. What do you know about Marcus Pike?”

“He’s a decent young man. He used to play baseball. I think he played for the Boston Red Sox. He even went to the World Series with them. He has his head on his shoulders tight.” Obviously, looking for some dirt, Jane seemed dismayed with her answer--and Lisbon used that to her advantage.

She got closer to his face. “So then, do you think he will take me to Fenway Park on our first date?” 

Madeleine raised her eyebrows, and the octave of her voice, in surprise. “You and Marcus? Really?”

“Well, he did try to ask her out, rather poorly, I might add.” 

Lisbon laughed. “No! We talked for a bit at check-in. He did try to ask me out. At first, I was sure he just hit on all the contestants, but we talked a little more. He called me gorgeous and said I was the first woman to talk to him like a human all day.” She made a face. “That’s kind of a low bar though, isn’t it?” Madeleine shook her head at that.

“Well, of course he thinks you're gorgeous. How could he not?” For a moment, blue eyes locked with green.

As far as Madeleine was concerned, these two always walked a fine line between whether she should or should not be in the room. “Be that as it may, I think we should talk about getting ready for the rehearsal tonight. You can wear athletic clothing, and I have packed some for you. Do you need help get your hair up in a presentable manner?”

Turning away from Jane, she looked at her consultant. “No, I can handle that! That’s fantastic. I’m honestly tired of these shoes. May I take them off?”

“Of course, you can. Would you like some slippers?”

“I’m ok. Thank you. What else do I need to know for tonight?”

“Be patient. Not all of the girls are good at choreography.”

“Neither am I.” Jane made a noise at that.

“Teresa, you put together and mastered an entire dance routine for your talent in one evening. You’re going to do just fine. Please do not sell yourself short.”

“I don’t have their training.”

“No, but you know well enough how to carry yourself. You can go toe to toe with any of these women. Embrace that.”

She flashed a quick smile at the other woman. “Do you know where my room is yet?”

“You’re in a suite on the first floor--room 117.”

“Your things are already down there. You will come here to prepare for your events except the pageant. It’s just easier so that you don’t have to share the limited space with your roommate, and I suppose there’s the added benefit of being able to talk to Patrick.”

“Blessing and a curse, Madeleine. Blessing and a curse.” The two women smiled at each other as he mimicked her words, clearly outnumbered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would be good to see what's happening at command because there's no way this op goes even remotely to Lisbon's plan when others get involved. LOL! Up next: we spend some more time with the queens as they gear up for pageant week events.


	8. Rebel Rebel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisbon starts to bond with her pageant girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little POV shift within the chapter here, but you'll know it when you see it!

According to her manual, Kim was right. Their table assignments at brunch doubled as their cohort group for the competition. She would be spending most of this week with Erica, Lorelei, Kim, and Michelle. After leaving Madeleine, she went to her room. Hopefully, she could have a better conversation with Michelle.

Opening the door to her room, she noticed that her bags were to one side of the room. Madeleine had packed what she called “essential” bags but was keeping her gowns in her room as that’s where she would be getting dressed. Michelle was already getting settled in.

“Hi, Gracie.” The young woman immediately greeted her. She seemed rather pleasant.

“Hi, Michelle. Are you ok with me having this side of the room?”

“That’s completely fine!” She seemed in a better mood than before, but she was still a bit shy. Lisbon wasn’t entirely sure how to start this conversation, so she decided to just dive into it.

“So where are you from?”

“Austin, Texas. I was born in Florida, but I moved there when I was young. How about you?”

“Sacramento, by way of Chicago, actually.” Jane always said the best cover was one that had snippets of the truth in it.

“Oh that’s cool. That’s in-land, right?”

“In-land and sometimes rainy. I guess that part reminds me a little of home.” They both giggled at that. “So what do you do when you’re not doing pageants?”

“I’m a student. Pre-law.”

“Oh, pre-law. That sounds impressive!”

“Thanks! What about you?”

“Still trying to figure it out.” Really, she hadn’t given this part of her cover much thought until she heard of the other women talking about what they do. She also thought it would be a good ice breaker with Michelle. “I do a lot of amateur photography, but my boyfriend says I’m really a free spirit.” That wasn’t a complete lie. She’d photographed her vacation once, sharing photos of her new niece and nephew in Chicago with the office upon her return--and with Jane critiquing her photography skills as though he was an art collector.

“You have a boyfriend? What’s his name?” Apparently, her uncertainty about her profession didn’t matter as much as the fact that she had a boyfriend. Good to know. Michelle liked talking about personal things.

“Yes, his name is Finn. He’s here for the pageant with me, but he’s hanging out with my consultant.”

“What’s he like? What does he do?”

“He’s really sweet. He has a smile that lights up any room, and he’s super charming. He’s kinda blond. Average height. He runs a tea house.” 

“A tea house? So he’s a little new age-y?” Michelle seemed really into the girl talk. She could work with that.

“You could say that.”

“Do you have a picture of him?”

She frowned and held her phone up. “You know, actually no. New phone. Mine broke when I got here.”

“Girl, you better get a picture on that phone! That’s why we have them in the first place!” They both laughed.

“What about you?”

“I’m single. Just focusing on wrapping up my degree right now.”

“That’s a good idea. How long have you been doing pageants?”

“Since I was a kid. I would’ve stopped doing pageants, but it was just something me and my mom always shared.” Michelle’s expression darkened, which Lisbon immediately understood. She stopped what she was doing to give Michelle her full attention.

“I’m sorry. How long?”

“About a year ago. She’d freak out if she knew I made it to Miss America. I don’t think it’s something she ever thought would happen.”

“I’m sure she knew. Moms always know.” Out of habit, she reached for her own mother’s cross that she wore at her neck. “My mom passed away when I was a kid. It was hard, and I missed her. It was hard, but I had younger siblings who needed me.”

“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”

“I have three younger brothers...and a younger sister. What about you?” She almost forgot about her new found sister, Darla.

“Oh! I was an only child. I’m sorry you lost your mom at such an early age.”

“It’s ok. Life goes on, or so they say.” She smiled at the younger woman. “Wow, this took a turn. We’re supposed to be happy right now! This is the best moment of our lives!”

“It is!” Michelle beamed at that. “What are your plans until rehearsal?”

“I don’t really have any. My consultant is done with me for now. What about you?”

“I was probably going to read a bit. It helps relax me. Do you read?”

“A little here and there.” She instantly thought of all of the law enforcement reports that she read religiously and decided it was probably best not to talk about investigative techniques and cartels with her roommate. She had also started reading A Storm of Swords but didn’t really know if that was Gracie’s kind of reading. “What are you reading?”

“I’m currently reading Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. I’ve seen the movies, but I’ve never read the book. I was curious, and it’s actually quite interesting.” Definitely not a book Lisbon had thought of in years, so that was a dead end.

“Oh cool! Maybe I’ll read a bit of something on my phone!” Michelle nodded and settled in with her book. She was a rather nice young woman, and it wasn’t as hard to connect with her as Lisbon had feared it might be.

Lisbon settled in and peered through her phone, looking for her reading app. Reading to calm her nerves actually didn’t sound like such a bad suggestion. Suddenly, she got a text.

“We really should get a picture taken together. It looks suspicious that you don’t want your sweet, charming boyfriend in your phone, Gracie.”

“Oh please!”

“Maybe Marcus would stay away if he saw our photo on your phone.”

“You’re obsessed with Marcus. Should I introduce you?”

“Definitely not.”

“You sound quite jealous.”

“What are you doing?”

“Reading. If you want, we can take a photo tonight.”

No sooner than she sent her last message, did she receive a picture message from him. It was a selfie with a message that read. “Set this as your contact for me, babe.” He even included a little smiley face emoji. She just shook her head with a grin on her face.

“You got it, loser.”

“Please. That’s a good photo.”

“Never said it wasn’t. Should I show it to Marcus?”

“Only if he asks you out again. Are you reading that dragon wars book?”

She laughed. “Sounds good. Yes, and I told you it’s not called “dragon wars.” What are you up to?”

“Meh. But that’s basically what happens. I don’t know if Marcus would like that book very much. I just explored the hotel and convention center area a bit. Back in Madeleine’s room for now. Wish you were here.” She could almost hear the mock whining sound in his voice, but she knew there was truth to their words. Sometimes, it felt strange how deeply personal everything about their relationship could be without really being personal at all.

“I’m sure you do, so that you could tease me about Marcus and pretend you’re not jealous.”

“Why would I be jealous? I got the woman.” She could tell he had texted rather hastily. He usually wasn’t so forward. “Are we doing dinner tonight?”

“You got the woman, huh? Unfortunately, we have post-rehearsal dinner as a group, but could we grab a drink afterward?”

“Please, Gracie! Text me after dinner?” She noticed he used her cover name, which forced a wave of sadness over her that she didn’t quite understand. Of course he used the cover name. It was her cover phone! She just never knew what he meant when he said things.

“Yep!”

“Madeleine wouldn’t like to hear you talking like that.”

“Hush!” This time, she added a smiley face of her own.

A few hours later, it was time to get ready for rehearsal. She and Michelle both got ready and walked to their rehearsal room together. It was a ballroom in the hotel that they were using for dance training. Lisbon wasn’t sure she’d get the moves at first, but it seems Madeleine was right. She was in good shape, and learning the choreography wasn’t much more difficult for her than picking up on her skating routine. It did get tiresome, especially as some people like Lorelei, just couldn’t get the moves. Erica held her composure a bit better, but she looked tired. Admittedly, their poor showing made her laugh a little under her breath.

After rehearsal, they dispersed to their rooms with the expectation of getting ready for dinner and returning within the next hour and a half. Madeleine made sure she had tips to get ready quickly and properly for events that might happen on the fly. 

She felt good with how she looked as she stepped into the burgundy dress that fell just below her knees with lace details covering her chest and arms. She wasn’t really used to so many outfit changes in one day. Usually, a pair of slacks or jeans and a top did the trick. It was still a bit difficult to navigate daytime and evening looks, but with Madeleine and Max leading the way, she was finding it a little more enjoyable. Stepping into her shiny black pumps, she finished touching up her own makeup. 

“I can’t believe you can get ready so quickly, Gracie!” 

She paused as she was applying the lip lacquer that coordinated with her evening look, her final step. She wasn’t sure how exactly Zoey figured all of this out, but she’d be sure to ask. It couldn’t hurt to know how to better stock her own makeup stash in case she ever wanted to dress up and go out for an actual date. “That’s what having a gaggle of little siblings will do to you.” The younger woman laughed at that. 

“I obviously need to learn your tips!”

“That’s not true! You’re probably much better at this than I am.”

Michelle sighed. “Actually, I mean it. Can you help?” She looked at Lisbon with a pleading look in her soft brown eyes.

“You need my help?”

“I’ve never really done this by myself. My mom used to get me ready for things like this.”

Suddenly, she understood Michelle’s shyness around the other women perfectly. Her mom always helped her. Without her mom, she was afraid she wouldn’t fit in either. Surely, this morning hadn’t helped calm her fears. Hoping that her own rather basic skills wouldn’t cause her to mess up Michelle’s look, she moved to her dressing table and started helping her apply makeup without a word. When she finished her makeup, she picked up her flat iron and started curling the young woman’s hair. 

“Thank you for doing this.” Lisbon could hear the strain on her voice.

“Oh no. It’s nothing. And please don’t cry. You’ll mess up your makeup, and then I’m afraid it will be even longer before dinner. I’m really hungry.”

The younger woman smiled at her. “You won’t tell the other girls, will you?”

“Tell them what?”

“That I needed help. If they know I can’t get ready on my own, they’ll make fun of me.”

“I wouldn’t worry about them.”

“They already don’t like me.”

“I wouldn’t say they don’t like you. That Erica seems really full of herself, and her friend Lorelei--you know, the one who really can’t dance?” Michelle laughed at that. “Lorelei just follows along. I wouldn’t pay attention to them. The cruelty is the point to get a rise out of you. Let it roll right off of you. You earned your place here just like the rest of us.”

“I bet your brothers and your sister think you’re the best big sister.” Lisbon paused at that and met Michelle’s eyes in the mirror. “I like to think so. They probably just think I’m a big nag.” The other woman just smiled.

“That’s kind of like that movie with the sisters who play baseball.”

Lisbon smiled. “It is. It’s actually very much like that.”

Once they were both ready, they walked to another ballroom in the massive hotel where dinner would be tonight. The reigning Miss America, Sophie Miller, would be addressing them tonight. Lisbon read her profile. It turns out Miss America 2016 was actually Dr. Sophie Miller, a psychiatrist who worked with people who’ve been through massive trauma. Arriving at their table, they were the first ones there, so they were able to choose good seats to see the stage. It was a full place setting, and suddenly, she was glad Madeleine took her to that torturous lunch last week. At least now, she would know how to eat properly. Surely, the other women would be on notice and would notice that mistake, especially Erica with all of her fine dining and couture experience. 

Of course, Erica and Lorelei arrived together, practically attached at the hip. She noticed Erica was dressed very finely. Obviously, no expense had been spared in her wardrobe. She also noticed that the woman walked with a very pompous air. Lorelei was dressed similarly, but she just wasn’t quite as refined. Clearly, she was trying to hang with Erica. She prepared herself to keep that fake smile plastered to her face for as long as possible.

“Hi Erica. Lorelei. How are you this evening?”

“Very well, Gracie.” Erica sat down. “Did you have a nice afternoon?”

“I did. How about you?”

“Well, I had to run 5 miles to kill breakfast, but I got to talk to my boyfriend who’s currently in Cairo while I was on the treadmill. I can’t believe he saw me like that, but it is what it is. Those muffins weren’t going to disappear on their own, if you know what I mean.” As Erica continued on her story, she noticed Lorelei nodding along as though the other woman was saying something profound. It was a bit unnerving how she hung on her every word.

“So you have a boyfriend in Cairo?”

“Oh yes, his name is Liam. He’s an Irish businessman. Let’s just say he has exquisite taste.” She took a sip of her water.

Michelle piped up, once again joining the conversation about a boyfriend. “What’s he like?” Lisbon’s fake smile slipped into a genuine one for just a moment. Obviously, Jane Austen had quite the effect on her roommate’s conversational interests.

“I said he’s exquisite. He dates me. That’s all you really need to know about him, little dove.” Michelle’s smile faded as she went dim once more and so did Lisbon’s.

She couldn’t let Erica go unchecked at that. “That was a little rude, don’t you think?” 

“Well, she asks questions that don’t further conversation.”

“Asking what your boyfriend is like isn’t ridiculous. You didn’t describe what he’s like. You basically told us he’s rich like it’s a personality trait. She asked what he’s like. Maybe you could indulge her a bit. Is he sweet? Is he cute? In the interest of a little girl talk, I think we all want to know!” 

She knew she was on shaky ground, but she had a plan. Eric Flynn may walk with an air of mystery that fooled many people, but she knew a master manipulator and con artist when she saw one. She wouldn’t be surprised to see her sitting across from her at an interrogation table in the next 5-10 years. If anything, she was trying to break Michelle down to become one of her minions just like Lorelei, who seemed incredibly pissed off by her admonishment. Erica needed another alpha to at least provide a soft challenge to her. 

Erica sighed. “I guess, he’s ok. I honestly don’t pay much attention to the men I date. It’s not that kind of relationship.”

“And who are you to judge?” Her assessment on Lorelei also shook out as the petite woman immediately went on the defensive. “It’s her boyfriend and her business.”

At that, Lisbon decided to draw on some inspiration from Jane. “Of course. I’m only pointing out that she told us nothing about him, but made fun of Michelle’s question. Some of us like a little romantic detail. But for all I care, she could be dating Ted Bundy.”

Kim started laughing, swallowing her water in a hurry before she could spit it out. Erica’s eyes widened a bit before narrowing, and Lorelei was deadly silent once more. Obviously, she didn’t like it when the barbs were at her expense.

“She’s funny. I’m going to order a glass of wine. Gracie, Michelle, would you ladies like something?” Kim was definitely a wild card. It also seemed like this very blatant offer of a drink at the exclusion of Erica and Lorelei meant she now had a clique, which is not what she wanted at all. If this was her group, she would need them for intel.

“Only if Erica and Lorelei are drinking. One on me, what do you say?” She held up her credit card. Lorelei definitely looked interested but waited for Erica’s approval.

“Of course. I’ll have a Glen Livet neat.”

“You’re a scotch drinker?”

“I am.” 

“Me too. I’ve never met many other women who drink scotch.”

“It’s a sophisticated drink. Many of the men I’ve dated love it. I acquired the taste. Dare I say we are a class above others in our tastes?” She exchanged a smile with Erica. She had her. Jane would be oh so proud to see this. “Is that a Cartier?”

At first Lisbon was a bit lost as to the question until she saw Erica eyeing her hand. “It is. It’s a gift from my boyfriend.”

“Lovely. That’s a rather expensive looking piece.” Of course that’s what she noticed.

“Well, he didn’t tell me how much he spent on it. He gave it to me as a good luck charm for this pageant.” 

Erica nodded in approval. “Well, that was very nice of him. It seems he cares about your continued happiness quite a bit.” Yet, something in the other woman’s tone suggested that was not quite what she was thinking.

Soon, Dr. Miller got up to speak. She spoke on the diversity of womanhood and the values of Miss America leading women on different paths to leadership. Lisbon thought the blonde haired woman gave a thought provoking speech, especially when she talked about embracing what makes each woman a unique force in her own right.

Once the speech finished, her table conversed sporadically, but nothing like they did at the start of their meal. As they broke for the evening, Lisbon pulled out her phone to text Jane that they were done and to meet her soon.

To her left, Erica could see her phone...and Jane’s picture. “Oh! Is this your boyfriend?” Erica grabbed the phone out of her hand, which was a total invasion of her privacy. Thankfully, nothing was on the phone beyond the messages they exchanged earlier in the day.

“That’s my boyfriend, Finn.”

“He’s very handsome. He looks quite charming.” She could almost see Erica salivating over the picture of Jane, which made her stomach turn. She had to pick this back up.

“I know. It’s one of the many reasons I love him.” Oh she just knew Jane would get cheeky about that when she saw him again.

“Hmm. I see.” She handed the phone back to Lisbon. “Are you seeing him tonight? You know there’s a pretty strict no-men policy in the rooms, right?”

“I am aware.” She was aware of no such rule. “We’re just meeting downstairs for a drink after dinner. He just wants to wish me luck for the talent show tomorrow.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that.”

She smiled at Erica. “And I would love it if you didn’t. He’s the reason I’m here. He really believes in me.” Again, not exactly a lie.

Erica regarded her words for a moment. “Wow, you must really love him. Good for you. Supportive boyfriends are the best. I once dated a man who wanted to help me front the cost for a matchmaking business I wanted to start. I sort of have a gift for matchmaking and determining whether people belong together.” 

Her story seemed to end abruptly, and Lisbon wasn’t the only one to catch that. Kim chimed in. “So what happened? Did you start the business?” As talkative as Kim could be on her own, she noticed that the brunette tended to let Erica have the floor.

“Oh no. Unfortunately, he died very suddenly.” She seemed to say it with no emotion, which made both women raise their brows. “I do miss him though. He was one of the best. It really was a missed opportunity for me.” 

“Well, sorry for your loss.” She really couldn’t think of anything else to say to that story.  
Erica just made a noise as she took a sip of her water, while Kim looked at Lisbon. Both women seemed to be on the same wavelength, while Lorelei was just hanging off of every word Erica said.

Walking out of the ballroom, Lisbon made her way to the restaurant bar where Jane was waiting for her. 

xxxxxxx Jane’s POV xxxxxxxxx

From his table in the bar, he could see Lisbon approaching. Once again, she wore a gorgeous dress that accentuated her figure. While clothing or makeup were never what made her shine in his eyes, her stylist was a genius. Noticing she was looking for him, he stood up and waved her over.

“Well, hello there.” He reached in for a hug. He sounded strange, and he could tell that she noticed immediately. “The Long Islands here are quite strong.”

She giggled. “The Long Islands everywhere are quite strong. Should we snap our picture really quick before you’re too drunk and someone thinks I just grabbed a hobo for a pic?” As if anyone would confuse him for a hobo!

He whispered in her ear as he placed his hand over his heart. “Teresa...I’m hurt.” She swatted his arm, as he got behind her and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his chest. 

She tried to take the picture, which with their height difference, made him laugh. “Just bend down! I’m in heels for fuck’s sake. This shouldn’t be a challenge!” 

“What the lady demands, she gets!” He followed her command, smiling into her neck where he could see little goose pimples rising. Before he realized what he was doing, he did something that surprised even him. He placed a soft, chaste kiss on her neck as she snapped a photo. She giggled, much more girlish than he’d ever heard her before, obviously finding the sensation ticklish. He decided he’d tuck that information away. 

He thought she might get upset, but she didn’t. She probably just took it as part of their cover, not that Patrick Jane did that. Probably for the better. Besides, she was still trying to take a photo of them. She snapped one of them in this pose before he snatched her phone and pulled them into his chair. He took a few more from that spot before helping her back to her feet.

He pulled out her chair, and she sat down. To anyone passing by, they were just a couple very happy to see each other. Looking through the photos, he suddenly felt very shy and exposed, almost guilty even. Men like Haffner gave her enough grief. He hoped he hadn’t embarrassed or upset her with his playfulness. He certainly would never want her to think less of him or that he was trying to take advantage of this situation. “I’m...sorry.” 

She just narrowed her eyes at him, but he didn’t know why. She didn’t even seem to register his apology. He sincerely hoped she wasn’t mad or that he had pushed a boundary too far. For her part, she just moved onto the business at hand. “Were you listening?”

“I was. Great job with that Erica woman. She’s used to being the dominant force, but since you asserted yourself, she’ll want to see your relationship as symbiotic. You’re partners now. You can use that to your advantage. You know, I am sorry.” 

She beamed with pride as she looked at the drink menu before deciding on just sparkling water with lime. “Don’t be. See, I don’t have to be a mentalist to know good detective work. I also noticed she seemed quite taken by your photo, especially after she found out you bought me an expensive piece of jewelry.”

“Of course, she did. I heard the story about her boyfriend. That makes you appeal to her even more. Also, that’s not merely good detective work, dear.”

“No? What is it?”

“No, that’s years of handling people who otherwise think they can talk down to you.” She tucked her hair behind her left hair, flashing him the bracelet to remind him others were listening. He took notice. “In any case, it was good work.”

“So what do you think? Any feelings about the girls?”

He pondered her question for a moment. “Other than Erica likes being the center of attention, Lorelei seems to be completely taken with her, Kim likes you, and Michelle is a romantic? None yet. Also, very nice of you to help her with her makeup.” She just shrugged her shoulders at that.

“Anything from command?”

“No, nothing yet. Van Pelt is still running the names. She might rendezvous with you tomorrow.”

She scrunched her face up. “Ugh, tomorrow already sounds like hell. Preliminary interview rounds in the morning and talent show in the evening.”

He grinned. “Well, at least it’s not the swimsuit competition. You still have that to look forward to.”

“That’s something that I have to look forward to? Not the crowd that will be there to ogle me and 49 other women in bikinis? Speaking of, who’s working the crowd tomorrow?”

“That I don’t know. You might text Darla and see which friends she’s bringing along.”

xxxx Lisbon’s POV xxxxxx

She eyed him suspiciously. Her phone alert went off, and she looked down to see a text from him that read “Problem at command. Haffner had Rigsby and Cho recalled to Sacramento. Long story. I gave them the key to our suite so they could stand by. Minelli put Haffner in charge.”

She groaned internally and rolled her eyes hard at that message. Surely, Minelli was just doing what he thought was best, but having to deal with Haffner while on assignment was the furthest thing from helpful. Besides, she had no idea what had Cho and Rigsby pulled from the case. She hoped it was nothing too serious. Knowing Haffner, he provoked them into doing something. That was one of her biggest fears going under and not being there to deal with him herself.

She typed a message to him. “How bad is it?”

“Bad. Rigsby punched Haffner. Don’t be mad at her, but I asked VP to let you get through the day first.” This was the exact kind of thing she hadn’t wanted, and to make matters worse, she had completely lost control of the situation once again. Surely, she would catch hell from Minelli on that point when she returned to Sacramento.

“But they’re still here?”

“Unofficially.” 

She should’ve known things wouldn’t workout the way she planned, especially with Haffner’s outburst at not being in charge of her. “This is not good. Promise me you won’t do anything careless. I can’t do this without you.” 

He nodded, and typed one last message before taking and squeezing her hand. “Remember what I said: you’re leagues ahead. No one can touch what they can’t catch.” 

That night, after setting her phone’s background to her favorite photo of Gracie and Finn, the one where he teasingly kissed her neck, she read that message before falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene with Michelle and Lisbon in their room was important for me to highlight. I know we got some of them in season 7, but I think they would totally get along and bond, especially in this context. I could see Lisbon being nervous about talking to her and fitting in, but she'd also take her under her wing. Plus, Lisbon totally strikes me as the kind of woman who would help another woman in need even with her limited skillset. That's just who she is.
> 
> As far as Jisbon, I'm getting comfortable with playing with the limits of canon in this story. They're constantly flirting, and being put in this situation would intensify that. I had the idea that it would be cute for them to take a couple's photo. Midway through writing, the inspiration struck for him to plant a little kiss and for Lisbon to maybe not mind a whole lot.


	9. Start of Something Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Contestant bonding, pageant events get under way, some team time, and a lot of Jisbon.

Teresa Lisbon was used to long, odd hours on the job. What she wasn’t used to was waking up and actually getting her day started quite so early. Making the world’s weakest cup of coffee, she got her athletic clothes on so she could get down to the workout center. Madeleine was very clear that she was to adhere to her schedule which meant she had to be showered and in Madeleine’s room by 8am sharp. As she walked down to the workout room, she repeatedly told herself, “I hope the coffee shop is open by 7:30.”

Entering the workout room, she noticed she was not the only contestant to have this idea this morning as several contestants were there. She waved at Miss Ohio. She seemed really nice yesterday, but she already forgot her name. She kept it moving until she found an elliptical that was open for this hour long cardio session. She happened to find an elliptical that was right next to the one currently occupied by Kim Fischer.

“Gracie, it’s nice seeing you here. You can always tell how serious a woman is by how early she gets up to get the work done.”

Lisbon smiled at that. She seemed rather cheery this morning. “That’s true. They do say early birds get the worm, but I’ve never understood that. The worm is bait.” Once again, Kim laughed.

“I appreciate your sense of humor, Gracie.”

“Thank you. You seem to be a lot more easygoing than some of our companions.”

“I keep things light. I’m happy to have made it this far in the pageant world, but that doesn’t mean that I’m shortsighted or lack intelligence and compassion. Is Erica your first?”

“My first?”

“New-ish money that acts super sophisticated, but it’s all on the surface? Wants the world to worship at her feet? Thinks she’s better than and above everyone else?” 

“Can’t say that she’s my first. I can handle it, you know? I just wish she wasn’t so mean to Michelle. She’s just a kid.”

“Ah, the kid is tough though. Apparently, she has you looking out for her.” Lisbon wasn’t sure how to respond. She wasn’t sure Michelle would like her speaking for her. She just thought that doing something so grand not long after her mom passed away, for her memory, showed how much she could stand on her own.

“So what do you do for a living, Kim?”

“I’m trying to be a writer.”

“Trying to be a writer? That doesn’t strike a lot of confidence.” 

The other woman shrugged at her. “It is what it is. Maybe I’ll just finally marry rich like my mom wanted.” Both women laughed at that. “So what about you?”

“I’m a photographer.”

“And you live in Sacramento with your boyfriend?”

“I do.”

“That’s beautiful country. I’ve always wanted to visit Napa Valley.”

“Well, you should come out some time. Sacramento isn’t that far from Napa.”

Kim smiled. “Look at you being a tour guide for your state! I might have to do that some time. I have a whole plan of travel for the state of California, which includes catching a Lakers game. I’m hoping to catch a game before I go home.”

Lisbon could feel her face lighting up, and she had to remember to be calm. “You like the Lakers?”

“Oh goodness, yes! I love basketball.”

“Hmm. Sacramento is Kings country. The Lakers are fine, but they’re not the Bulls or anything.”

“Bulls? You’re a Chicago fan?”

“It’s my hometown.”

“Please. You guys pull out a few dynamite seasons led by Jordan and think you are the definition of basketball.”

“The midwest is the home of basketball, and people around the world love the Bulls. So yes, we will take it. Also, aren’t you betraying your home team by liking the Lakers?”

“Have you seen the Knicks play recently? No athletic or artistic ability there.” Both women cackled at that, earning them glares from other contestants in the workout room before they reigned it in. “I didn’t know I’d find another basketball fan here.”

“Well, me neither. I thought people would look at me like I had two heads.”

Kim looked at her pointedly. “I guess it hopes to keep an open mind.” As their workouts intensified, their conversation fizzled. Lisbon set her playlist and finished her workout. 

By 7:55am, and with a good cup of coffee in hand, she walked to Madeleine’s room with a bit of a hop in her step. Surprisingly, she beat everyone but Max, who had arrived early to begin preparing clothing for the day. Jane was also there already.

“Well, you’re here early.”

“I am.” He said it with a look that said there’s more, but not now. She nudged him to make room for her next to him. He frowned. “No tea for me?”

“Well, I thought you’d be here later, or I would’ve grabbed one for you. You look like you’re still tired. You could have slept longer, you know. I don’t need you to get glamorous.” 

He just mumbled. “Already glamorous.”

“Do you want some of my coffee?”

“I’m not that desperate. I’ll make my way down stairs soon.” 

She grinned at him. “You wouldn’t be experiencing a hangover, would you?”

“No, I’m from good Irish stock. We do not get hangovers.”

She looked at him for a second, sighing. “I think we both know that’s bullshit.”

He nudged her shoulder. “My lady...such a lady. You know, you’re supposed to support me.”

“I do. I just don’t support your nonsense when we both know you’re bullshitting--and it’s not even the convincing kind.” He just groaned next to her.

As her team arrived, so began the whirlwind to get ready. Max was on hand to solve any wardrobe malfunctions. As Brittany, Kayla, and Zoey all got to work, Max and Madeleine once again conferenced to talk about outfits for the day. Madeleine seemed to spend most of her time going over Max’s work.

Madeleine showed him the dress she would be wearing for the talent exhibition this afternoon. He covered his mouth, which made her tense up with fear that he wouldn’t like it.

“Oh my goodness! Where did you get this?”

“I’m not really sure. Finn got it for me as a gift. Babe, come in here please!” Slowly, Jane made his way into her dressing area. He was still a little slow, but he now had a cup of tea in hand.

“Where did you get this?” Before Jane could answer, Max just kept going. “The work on this is exquisite. Usually, something like this takes fittings, but I can tell this is just right and fits her like a glove. It’s high quality work to be sure.”

“Did you see the skates? They also match!” She was most excited about her new skates, even if she really liked the dress he bought her to go with them.

“I saw them, honey. I’m just impressed by the work on the dress and the short amount of time you were able to get it done in. This is pure craftsmanship right here! Be glad you have a boyfriend who has taste and who actually knows your measures.”

Losing the air in her chest, she blinked rapidly for a moment. She supposed it wasn’t uncommon for a boyfriend to know his girlfriend’s size or loose measurements, but how did Jane know her measurements? Thankfully, he spoke up, taking her out of her own head.

“I know some folks who owe me some favors. When Gracie decided she wanted to skate for her talent, I just knew it would be perfect for her. They really helped me pull the idea together for her.” He met her eyes as he took her hand.“I just wanted the rest of the world to see her shine the way I do.”

“Hmm! I’m sure they will. I can tell she’s going to be ethereal in this. I’m just glad more men can’t dress their significant other like this, or I would be out of a job. Maybe I should’ve run my designs by you!” Jane laughed before he walked back into the living area. Max turned his attention back to Lisbon, who still wasn’t sure why he was so impressed by the piece. “I’ll be on hand throughout the day in case you need any touch ups, darling.”

“Thanks, Max. I appreciate it.”

“It’s not a problem, Gracie. You’ve actually been one of the best contestants I’ve ever worked with. You let me embrace my own skills to style you. That takes a lot of trust, and I appreciate it.”

“Well, Madeleine had great confidence in your work. And let’s face it. My style could use some help!”

Max laughed. “And you came to the right place! I just want you to know that when the time comes for you and Finn, I would love to get you fitted and styled.”

She was a bit confused. “When the time comes?”

“For your wedding!” She saw Madeleine smile slightly.

Lisbon was suddenly very shy. “We’ve never talked about getting married. I don’t know if that’s in the cards for us.”

“Honey, I’ve never seen two people more in love than the two of you are. And baby, if a man took care of me the way he takes care of you, I’d never let him out of my sight, especially around these pageant types. He worships the ground you walk on. It’s clear as day. I know it’s coming.”

Her mouth went dry as she tried to put a smile on her face. “You really think so?” 

“Max, I don’t need her planning her wedding when she has a pageant to win.” Madeleine threw her a bone, but it was much too late.

Lisbon’s stomach fell and her head was swimming with thoughts now. She reminded herself: “It’s just an act to get close to Red John.” Even with the reminder, she was too lost in thought. Her air seemed short and she needed to get up. She kept her voice as even as possible.

“Can we take a break please? Just a short break.” She peeled her bracelet off and placed it on the vanity in front of her.

Madeleine nodded. “Sure. Let’s break for 10 minutes.”

“I just need a bit to eat.” She came through the living room and motioned to a lounging Jane. “Can you come with me please?”

He got up and followed her out of the suite. “What’s going on? Is everything ok?”

Pulling him into a public bathroom, she locked the door behind them. She started pacing. He narrowed his eyes, and his voice was a bit more frantic. “Is everything ok?!” 

She nearly shouted at him. She would have shouted at him, but she quickly remembered she wasn’t mad at him. She was nervous as hell. She didn’t know how to have this conversation, but every sense she had said it had to happen right now.

He lowered his voice. “Teresa…what’s wrong?”

“Do you know why I didn’t take your apology last night?” He looked momentarily confused. She blinked rapidly, drawing her face into a frown. “God, you probably don’t even remember!”

He pointed to her wrist. “I took the damn thing off. I’m tired of not being able to actually talk to you.”

“When I kissed your neck?” She nodded as though that was obvious. “I’m sorry. Look, you put up with so much from the men you work with, and I...”

“I didn’t ask for an apology. Do you know why I didn’t take the one you offered last night?”

He seemed to stare at her blankly, which made her lose all of the adrenaline that dragged them out of her session and into this bathroom. Softly, he responded. “I have an idea.”

She folded her arms in front of her, not in anger. She felt the need to comfort herself. “You have an idea? Well, I have an idea of why you did it. Are they the same idea?” 

He sighed and placed his hand on her elbow, the touch releasing some of the tension she felt. His other hand came up to lift her chin towards him. Once again, blue eyes locked with green eyes. “I think they might be.”

“Is it the same reason you were so jealous of Marcus?”

“If we’re having this conversation, I’d rather not talk about him.”

“Is it why you bought me a $15,000 bracelet for an assignment?”

Holding her gaze, he answered. “Yes.”

“Is it why you were able to find a custom made skating dress for me with my exact measurements?”

To her amazement, he actually blushed at that. “Yes.”

‘“Is it why every conversation, every moment between us, seems so deeply personal?”

“Yes.”

“Is it why you think you see something in me the rest of the world doesn’t?”

“Yes. It’s why I trust you like no one else, why I sleep better when I’m near you, why I know you’re beautiful even covered in hot wing sauce and shouting obscenities at a tv, and why I flirt with you shamelessly even though it makes my own eyes want to bob out of my head.” She let out a soft chuckle and broke their gaze for a moment. “All of it...the answer is yes.”

“Well, what are we going to do about it?” Suddenly, he brought his lips to hers. It was very gentle. Yet, it was so passionate that every nerve ending in her body exploded. She returned the kiss in kind as he wrapped his arms around her. After a few moments that seemed like a blissful eternity, they broke apart. She met his eyes again, her own eyes full of hope. “Is that a start?”

He wasn’t sure how to answer. He still had to catch Red John. Angela and Charlotte deserved it, but the woman in front of him--the woman he loved and who believed in him and that he deserved peace--and she deserved him too. He would never forgive himself if he let another woman he loved fall into his clutches. He thought for a second, until he remembered the conversation he had with Madeleine. It was time to take the leap of faith. “Do you want it to be?”

“I don’t want to...push you into something you’re not ready for.”

He stroked her chin as he held her hand. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but the way his eyes bore into hers at that moment felt like he could see inside her head and dissect every thought and feeling she ever had. The seconds felt like years as she steeled herself, waiting for the worst. Admittedly, she wasn’t the best with silence in moments like these.

“The last time I loved someone, he killed them. I have to catch him.” Her stomach fell completely, as he continued. “A friend recently said something to me that made me realize that you provide me purpose, not him. I never thought I could love again, but you happened. You made me choose life, and every day you show me the good in life. You are the good in my life. I have to catch him, but catching him doesn’t mean more to me than you do. I love you, Teresa. I know...that I am difficult. If you will take another chance on me, then it’s a start.”

She shifted up and kissed him again. This time, it was a little deeper, his embrace was tighter, and it certainly lasted longer. Staying in his arms and smiling widely at him, she said: “It’s a start.”

“It’s a start.” He repeated her words to her. 

“Let me be clear about something. We’re going to catch that bastard. It’s our top priority. But he doesn’t control our lives. Whatever this is, we are on our own schedule.”

He nodded. “I know…and I’ll be here to protect you.”

She shook her head. “No. You don’t have to protect me. I’m an FBI Agent. I can protect myself.”

Still flushed against his chest, he began to stroke her cheek. “You know what I mean. Anyone who’s close to me is a target, and you being an FBI Agent won’t stop me from wanting to protect you. Just like it never has before.”

She closed her eyes. “Promise me…”

“I won’t do anything rash. You have my word, Teresa. Us—being together—if he knows we are involved, it will up the stakes.” She could see the desperation in his eyes. She placed her hand on his cheek. 

“Patrick, I’ve never doubted that you would protect me. You once shot our only connection to Red John to save my life. I know you’d protect me, but I can also protect myself. If not, I know you’re there. I believe in you. I always have. And like you protect me, I protect you.” He let go of her cheek and pulled her into a full embrace. 

They stood there like that for a moment, holding each other. “I think you should get back before Madeleine gets incredibly worried about you, or you upset her schedule, or both.”

Pulling back, she laughed at that. “It’s ok. She gave me 10 minutes, and I’m sure a few minutes surely won’t derail the whole day. I know they made mine really special.” She placed her hand inside of his.

He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. “I’m glad to hear it, but I’m curious as to what made you do this right now? In the middle of your pageant prep, on this assignment? The timing is a bit erratic.”

“My entire team is gearing up to do work on our wedding.” Jane started choking at that. “Max said he can tell it’s coming because of how in love we are. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. I’ve had this feeling for a while. I just couldn’t go another minute. I don’t know what came over me. It just seemed so urgent, like an all consuming feeling. I needed to know.”

“A wedding huh? Are we that obvious?”

She tilted her head. “According to my team, it seems that way.” He smiled at her.

“Do you have dinner with your girls tonight?”

“No, but the talent exhibition could run a little late.”

“Can I take you to dinner?”

“Are you asking me on a date, Patrick Jane?”

He smiled one of those charming smiles that made his entire face light up. “I kinda thought that’s where this was headed, but if you want to wait until we return to Sacramento, that’s fine. I just figured we both have to eat.”

“We do, and I’d love that.”

“Maybe lock your bracelet in your safe in your room?”

She pretended to be offended, and he laughed at her mock rage. “Are you ashamed of me? That’s just a joke. I know. I would like to have some time that’s just...ours. Let’s figure this out first. We have nothing but time.”

“I’d like that.” He kissed her once more, but it was chaste this time. “Let’s get back.” Hand in hand, they walked back to Madeleine’s room where her team was waiting. 

Madeleine saw them come in the door. She hoped everything was fine, but she saw how her contestant was practically glowing as she walked in the door hand in hand with the blond haired man. He also seemed a little lighter, happier. She knew. She was happy for them and gave Jane a nod of approval. He returned the gesture in kind.

“Gracie, let’s get you back in the chair.” Releasing Jane’s hand, she walked with her consultant back into her dressing room, as the other woman wrapped her arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear. “I expect that you will have a story to tell me later.”

A smiling Lisbon nodded her head. “Actually, I need a favor.”

“Yes?”

“Could you get me a dress...for dinner?”

“With Finn?”

“Yes.”

The consultant grinned knowingly. “Don’t worry. I already secured you a little black dress...just in case the need for it might arise. I’ll have it set out for you. Do you need Brittany and Zoey to hang back?”

“Oh no. I wouldn’t want to burden them.”

“I don’t think they’d mind if you needed them.”

“It’s ok. Really. They’ve both given me quick fix tips.”

“All right, I’ll set your dress and shoes out so you can change into them after the exhibition.” 

“Thank you.”

“Truly, it is not a problem. I do look forward to hearing that story some time though.”

Her team worked to finish preparing her for the first event of the day. As she guessed before, a few minute delay didn’t derail them much. In the end, she felt better for the delay, but now a new nervousness set in as she had to prepare for her day of interview, talent show, a meet up with Grace, and now, dinner with Jane. 

For her first event, the preliminary round of interviews, Madeline set aside a more casual red sweater dress with ¾ sleeves. Once she was dressed and ready, she, Madeleine, and Jane walked down to the venue where the interviews were being conducted. 

All events were open to the public. For this round, the contestants were broken into groups of five for their interviews. These were more like group, round table interviews. She was with Kim, Michelle, Erica, and Lorelei. Their group was the third to take the stage. She wasn’t sure what skills these interviews actually tested, but she got the sense their group did well. Shocking to absolutely no one, Erica managed to charm the crowd. Lorelei stumbled through her answers, but Kim seemed to help pick her up. Michelle broke through her shyness a bit during the interview and delivered what Lisbon thought were some rather impressive answers on navigating womanhood in the 21st century.

After the preliminary interviews, Lisbon was whisked away to another location where she was supposed to get ready for her talent exhibition. Her transition into her skating dress was fairly easy. Brittany and Zoey made easy work of her hair and makeup, pulling her hair into side buns and touching up this morning’s look. Madeline preached about natural beauty and simple being the best; it turns out she was right. Frankly, it shocked her how good they made her look in such little time.

As she heard “Who Do You Think You Are” start on the loudspeaker, she skated out onto the stage. She was determined to have some fun with this and not look absolutely silly. She scanned the crowd as skated and danced. After she landed one of her twists, she unfortunately spotted Haffner. She briefly made eye contact with him as he gawked at her. She hoped someone was at least watching the cameras. She wished she hadn’t spotted him. That meant awkward conversation was probably incoming. 

Jane was observing the crowd, but he also made eye contact with her several times. That was more than enough to fuel her performance. She never lacked confidence in her physical pursuits, but she found having Jane in her corner gave her an extra edge. As she finished her dance, she skated off stage. Putting her regular shoes back on, she went to meet Jane at the side of the stage where he took her skates from her.

“So how was it?”

“You were fantastic!”

“Really? You’re not just saying that?”

“No, I’m not. Of all people, I know a good performance when I see one. Your routine was fabulous. You really worked the stage. It was quite the performance!”

“Well, thank you! I spotted Haffner in the crowd.”

“Yeah, I saw him too.”

“He’s probably going to want to talk to me.”

“I don’t doubt that he will. Grace is also here.”

“I really hope someone is watching the cameras at command. Did anyone stand out to you?”

“I was too busy being mesmerized by your performance.”

“Jane…” A warning.

“Not at the moment. We need a little more time to separate the people just interested in the pageant from the creeps and the creeps from the serial killers.” That was a fair point.

“Ok, well where is Grace? I should sneak off and talk to her real quick.”

“She just ran to the bathroom. You know, her bladder isn’t quite in the shape it used to be!” She glared at him. “You could always wait with me.” She smiled at that, seeking out and squeezing his hand quickly.

“Hey, Gracie!” She’d know Van Pelt’s voice anywhere. Frankly, it startled her a bit, making her drop Jane’s hand.

“Darla!” She reached in and hugged her, so that any onlookers would just see a sister congratulating another sister. While inside, Grace whispered directly into Lisbon’s ear: “I have a transmit blocker for the bracelet.” Lisbon nodded. Van Pelt was good. They walked down the hall just a bit to be in a secluded area where they could talk.

Grace pulled out the blocker which looked like a simple little piece of metal. “Did that work?”

“Jane, can you hear anything through your comm?”

“No.”

“Then, it worked. It will stay off until I reactivate it.”

“Wow, you should get one of those for your home and office, Lisbon.” She swatted his arm.

“Thanks for bringing that, Van Pelt. How are things going?”

“Stressful...but boss, I just saw you perform. You looked amazing out there!”

“Thank you. I trained all last week.” She didn’t want to get lost in the conversation. They’d have time to get through all of this when Red John was arrested. “Anything on any of our contestants yet?”

“Erica, Lorelei, and Michelle all seem clean. Nothing stands out. We are waiting on Kim’s records to come back.”

Lisbon nodded. “Ok, let me know if anything pops. Kim seems on the level, so I’m not overly worried. What’s going on at command?”

“Well, I assume Jane told you about Rigsby and Cho?”

“Yes, they’re now here unofficially?”

“That’s right.”

“I can’t provide them cover if they’re unofficial. What happened?”

Grace recounted the events for Lisbon, including how Minelli hadn’t even bothered to hear their side of the events. Though not a lot shocked Lisbon with dealings at the FBI, she was taken aback to hear that Haffner had actually called Minelli in—and that he sided with Haffner. It was a bit much even for him.

“So was he baiting Rigsby? I can sneak away and put a call into Minelli to try to talk him into putting them back into play.”

Jane chimed in. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not? You convinced them to stay here unofficially. Without the cover of the FBI, they can’t provide much support. If anything goes wrong--hell, if everything goes right--they can even lose their badges for disobeying a direct order.”

Locking eyes with Lisbon, Jane continued with his point. “At least this way, they’re in place and can be moved exactly where we need them without having to play whatever games Haffner is trying to play. You always say we work best as a team. Haffner is side-lining half the team.”

Grace chimed in. “Well, they are planning to patrol crowds still. Cho was here today, and I was also able to get them a video feed. They’re going to stay low-key.”

Lisbon thought about it for a moment. “I can’t sanction this, and if they’re caught, the disciplinary action will be even worse. I don’t want them putting themselves and their careers on the line like this.”

“Boss, they already have. When I told you that we’d stand by you, I meant it. We want to work for you.”

Lisbon wasn’t sure exactly how to respond to that. On one hand, she was touched. On the other, she didn’t need promising young agents trashing their careers for her.

“What if you don’t tell them anything? You haven’t spoken to them. You said yourself that Cho has the experience to run the op. It sounds like they’re already doing what you need them to be doing. Let me run with them.”

“A side op? That’s completely unsanctioned and outside of channels?” 

He nodded as he rubbed his chin. “We know that Red John is a hard fish to catch. Haffner will be playing the world’s worst game of checkers while Red John plays world class chess. It won’t be anywhere close to an even match.”

She glanced at her feet, suddenly finding her white low top Converse very interesting. In that brief moment, she remembered a line from her favorite book: “Decisions are made of kneaded feelings; they are more often a lump than a sum.” Just like her agents, she made this decision long ago.

She sighed. “I can’t sanction it, not officially. But you’re both right. We are a team, and that’s how we’ve always worked best. Tell them to keep doing what they’re doing. Jane will be in touch if he needs anything.” Jane smiled. “And tell Cho that if Jane acts out, he knows what to do.” 

“Ahhhh you don’t mean that, Teresa Lisbon.” He was teasing her. Perhaps the teasing would be a good memory for when they were all out of jobs.

Grace smiled slyly. “You got it, boss.”

Seconds later, Haffner appeared almost out of thin air. She wasn’t sure how he had found them so quickly. “Lisbon. Van Pelt. Nice to see you both here.” 

He completely ignored Jane’s presence. “It’s nice to see you too, Haffner. Always a treat.”

“I’d like to speak to Agents Lisbon and Van Pelt alone. This is official FBI business.”

Lisbon spoke up on his behalf. “He’s our consultant. FBI business that pertains to Red John is his business.”

“Not on my op it’s not. Bye, bye, Jane! If I had my way, I’d send his ass back to Sacramento to pack up his desk or couch or whatever.” He did a mock wave at Jane. Lisbon was furious, but she also knew she really could not make a scene here. Even in this semi-secluded location, people would notice a knock down drag out argument.

She nodded at Jane to go. “It’s ok. We will regroup later.” He caught the anger in her voice, so he didn’t dare try to argue it. As Haffner watched him walk away, Van Pelt re-activated the listening device attached to Lisbon’s wrist.

“How’s the op going, ladies?”

Lisbon rolled her eyes, noticing the slight. “I’d really appreciate it if you referred to us by our proper titles and names.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know referring to you as ‘ladies’ was something bad. I always think it’s a good thing. It’s how I see both of you. It’s nothing bad.” 

“You know what? I’m not even going to tell you what’s wrong with that here. We will deal with it later. You had two of my agents recalled? What the fuck, Ray?” She had to lower her voice to properly enunciate her rage without screaming in this corridor. Normally, she wouldn’t speak to another agent like this in front of a subordinate, but this was the very definition of having her back against the wall. 

“I told you that I was in charge. Rigsby punched me, and Cho was in my face. You’d get rid of agents with poor attitudes like that, too.” Van Pelt scoffed quietly but maintained her silence. 

She gave a false chuckle. “Really wish I could get rid of you right now.”

“You’re mad at me?” He rubbed his face. “You have no reason to be mad at me. I’m here to make sure things are running smoothly. Whatever vision Jane had for this op did not center your safety. You know how he is about Red John. He’s going to try to catch him no matter the cost and that cost could include your life for all he cares.”

She closed her eyes and practiced her breathing. She was not going to let him draw her into an argument right here, but she knew that wasn’t true. 

“Teresa, please. I wish I knew what it was that made you trust Jane so much and me so little. We were friends before Jane got in the middle.” Van Pelt only looked to Lisbon. She didn’t speak, but if she had, it might have been to tell Haffner how desperate he sounded. He sighed. “You’re a good agent, Teresa. When Jane is gone, you’ll thank me for it.”

“He’s not going anywhere.”

“He’s too much of a loose cannon. I know you can’t see that right now, but I got this op back on track.”

“How exactly did you do that, Ray? You have an undercover asset, in an intimate placement, who had a comfortable working relationship with two agents that she placed on her detail and who you’ve had removed. How have you gotten this op back on track? What progress have you made?”

“Seriously, I know you’re pissed at me for not drinking the horse piss Jane serves up. Do not think for a moment that I have anything but your best interests at heart.” He reached for her arm, but she shrugged away from him.

“You say that you know better than me what my best interests are here? Not only do I have the same experience and training as you, but I also know this case. Risgby and Cho know this case. Jane knows this case. You’re doing everything you can to isolate me away from the best resources to solve this case, while insisting that you’re trying to help. You’re running this op blindly.”

“That’s not fair. We’ve got a good team here. Just have a little faith in those of us actually trained for this job and who can work together. Van Pelt is a real team player.” 

She closed her eyes once more. He would never see this from her point of view. Even if she did likely just sign all of their pink slips, Jane was right about running his side op with Rigsby and Cho. She just needed to give them the cover, and if it came to it, she would say it was all her idea and she had arranged it ahead of time. “Fine. We run this your way, but when we get back we will talk about this. You do not get to undermine my authority like this.” 

“We’re going to catch him. You’ll see. We’ve got this.” He was practically beaming. He reached for her shoulder.

She shook her head. “Don’t touch me.” She motioned to Van Pelt, and they walked away.

“Boss, we don’t need him.” She lifted her arm to remind her of the listening device. “I already turned it off. I don’t know where he comes off thinking he knows best.”

“He’s a pig-headed asshole. That’s where he comes off. He thinks he will impress me and teach me the wisdom in listening to him. Maybe if he’s lucky, I’d even go on a date with him and thank him. I can guarantee the only reason he didn’t have you pitched with Cho and Rigsby is that he doesn’t feel threatened by you.”

Grace laughed, which caught Lisbon’s eye. “What’s so funny?”

“I’m not used to you being so candid is all. I’m glad to see Jane is empowering you.” She paused for a moment, considering her word choice. “Well, you guys were holding hands when I walked up to you earlier. He didn’t take his eyes off of you--or stop smiling--the whole time you were dancing.” 

Lisbon groaned internally. This “let’s figure it out” wasn’t off to the best start. She could reprimand Grace, but after the conversation with Haffner and subsequent break down, she didn’t see much sense in that. Besides, Jane was right. Grace was a friend, even if she was her subordinate. She held her arm out, stopping the redhead in her tracks and turning her to face her. 

“Do you want to tell me how you came into your current situation? You know, about you and Rigsby?” 

Grace’s face went pale as she gulped. “I think you already know. Are you asking me...officially?”

“No, I’m not asking you at all. My point is: we all have our secrets, Van Pelt. Secrets that we will talk about when we are ready to talk about them and not a moment before.” 

The younger woman caught her meaning as she let out a soft chuckle. “I see.”

“As your friend, I will tell you that you will know when the time is right. Officially, I’m still your stern, no-nonsense boss who doesn’t want to talk about her personal life.” 

Grace nodded. “So will our wedding invites be unofficial or official?”

Lisbon laughed and shook her head. “Too much time with Rigsby. And besides why does everyone think we’re getting married?”

“I may be a rookie agent, but I know a love story when I see it.”

“Be that as it may, Jane and I are not getting married.”

“If you say so.” Lisbon was 0/2 on arguments today. She was really going to have to work on that.

“He’s taking me to dinner tonight. I’m locking the bracelet in my room.”

“Got it. I’ll just take it offline.”

“Thank you.”

Grace hugged her again. “I’m really happy for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this in character? Yes and no. They were always quite loud, but Jane was hyper-focused. Did I want to wait til the bitter end for them to do what we knew they are going to do? Nah. I'm pretty sure they can walk and chew gum at the same time! Will they go on a date? Yes, in the next chapter. The title refers to Daughtry's "Start of Something Good," which I think would perfectly describe early Jisbon. 
> 
> Sports fan Lisbon might be my favorite Lisbon to write because I always loved to see it in the show. Also, does anyone know what Lisbon's favorite book is? It might also be my favorite book...


	10. Can't Fight This Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisbon learns something new about Michelle, and there's a ton of fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little POV shifting within the chapter, but the shifts are marked!

xxxxx Lisbon's POV xxxxx

In the lobby, Lisbon met up with Jane and Madeleine once more. He was still holding her skates.

“Hi, guys. What’s up?”

“What’s up is that we need to do a practice interview round in the morning. 9am sharp. The swimsuit competition is tomorrow afternoon.” Looking at Jane pointedly, she continued. “No wild and crazy food tonight please. Otherwise, you better be prepared to drink lots of coffee and take Midol tomorrow.”

Jane looked very confused. “She loves coffee. Why would that be a problem?”

Lisbon understood perfectly and nodded along. “I know. I will eat clean tonight. I promise.”

“See that you do. Your dress and shoes for tonight have been delivered to your room.”

“Thank you!” With that Madeleine parted ways with them.

Lisbon pointed to her skates. “Are you just going to carry those around for me?”

“I think proper skating rink etiquette says I’m supposed to.” Catching his meaning, she smiled. 

“Meet you in the lobby in an hour?”

“How about I pick you up in an hour?” He was fidgeting with one of her boots. She could sense his slight nervousness at expressing an interest in what some would consider proper date etiquette. 

She nodded. “Deal.” She took her skates from him, letting their hands touch just a bit before parting ways.

Lisbon returned to her room. Immediately upon her arrival, she took that damn bracelet off and locked it away. It was beautiful, but the fact that a whole team of people led by Ray Haffner were listening to her every conversation didn’t sit well with her. She couldn’t wait to get the listening device out of it so she could wear it as a gift. From her boyfriend. She wondered if he’d like her to refer to him as her boyfriend. Maybe that was a little much before their first date.

Michelle was already there and changing into her workout clothes. “Hey, Michelle. Great performance today!” Michelle performed a solo on her flute. Lisbon didn’t know much about instruments, but the song her roommate played sounded quite pleasant and she had a great demeanor when playing.

“Thanks! I’ve been playing since I was 4. Mom always said it was my greatest talent!” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that she probably didn’t agree with her late mother’s assessment.

“What is it, Michelle?”

“Oh nothing! It’s just that my mom always wanted me to pursue lady-like talents and achievements. She wanted me to be a refined lady.”

“Your mom wanted you to?” Michelle nodded. “So what did you want to do?”

“Something like what you did. It was amazing! You have a physical talent.”

Lisbon laughed. “I’ve not been without a pair of skates since I got my first pair for Christmas when I was 8.”

“But the way that you can jump, and just do all of that physical stuff!”

She noticed how the younger woman kept focusing on the physicality of her skate dance. “Michelle, did your mom let you do any sports?”

“Oh heavens no! She strongly discouraged it. Once I told her I wanted to be an FBI agent, and she freaked out.” Lisbon choked on the sip of water she had just taken.

“An FBI agent?” Lisbon was admittedly shocked, but from what she knew about Michelle, she had a lot of heart. Without a doubt, she had the qualities of a good agent.

Her roommate giggled as she gathered her long dark hair into a bun. “See, even you think it’s silly.” 

“I don’t think it’s silly at all. What did your mom have against you being an FBI agent?”

“She said it was unlady-like and too dangerous.” Lisbon couldn’t argue the unlady-like part, but she also couldn’t see how a woman trained in all manners of pageant skills wouldn’t be a great asset as an agent. At least she’d be able to tolerate her co-workers’ bullshit with a straight face. 

“I’m sure it’s dangerous, but a lot of things are dangerous. Michelle, why did you want to be an FBI agent?”

She sat on her bed cross-legged, and Michelle joined her. “I’ve always loved to read. Once I picked up this book about the first woman in the FBI.” Lisbon was familiar with the book. She had once read it herself. “She had to overcome a lot to be in the FBI and get the guys to respect her. But she did a lot of great work to help people, and that’s what I want to do. I want to help victims of crimes.”

“You want to help crime victims?” Lisbon was doing her best not to let on that she knew a lot more about the FBI.

“Yeah, the FBI does a lot of work with child victims. You know missing and exploited kids. I’d...I’d like to work with child victims and get justice for them.”

“Why child victims? That seems really specific.” 

As Michelle’s eyes became increasingly more distant, Lisbon could tell she wasn’t going to like the answer. “I just do. Kids need to be protected, you know?”

She nodded. “Of course. Do you still want to be an FBI agent?”

“Yeah, but I’m sure they wouldn’t want a beauty queen in the FBI. What use could I possibly be to the FBI?” She laughed and jumped up off the bed. To her question, Lisbon could only think of how the FBI could benefit from far more Grace Van Pelts and Michelle Vegas.

“I’m sure you’d be a great FBI agent if you wanted to be one.”

“You’re sweet, Gracie. Oh! By the way, Erica invited us all to morning tea tomorrow at 8am!”

“She did?”

“Yes, she was looking for you after the talent exhibition, but she couldn’t find you. I’m going to go for a run before dinner. I’ll probably crash a little early tonight.”

“Sounds great! Finn is taking me out to dinner tonight, so I’m going to get ready to go. If I’m late getting back, I’ll try not to make a lot of noise.”

“Perfect.” Michelle left the room, as Lisbon pulled out her phone.

The first thing she noticed was a message from Jane. “I’ll be up to get you soon. Can’t wait to see you.” 

She responded to his message. “Can’t wait to see you either.”

The next order of business was to text Madeleine to push back tomorrow’s meeting time and ask about a dress for morning tea. Madeleine texted her back rather quickly. “I have a dress for that. Come pick it up after dinner. We can meet at 10am instead.”

“I will be by.”

“Be sure to save some time for me after dinner!” Her implication was quite clear.

Knowing she had just a little time before Jane arrived at her door, she got herself ready. Once again, she thanked Zoey for the rather useful quick touch up tips she provided her and Brittany for the hair tips as she quickly repurposed her loose curls of the day into a low side ponytail. Too bad she couldn’t keep them around on her payroll forever.

She loved the black dress that had a miniskirt and chiffon sleeves. It framed her chest quite nicely. It was low cut, framing her cleavage in a heart shape, but tasteful. It was absolutely perfect. Along with her shiny black pumps that were a little higher than the ones she wore during the day, she looked elegant, sexy even. It had been a long time since she looked in the mirror and thought of herself that way. Deep down, she hoped her date would think the same.

She heard a knock on the door. Taking one last glance of herself and smoothing down her dress, she opened the door. There, Jane stood with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Suddenly, she was very nervous and unsure of herself. She hoped this wouldn’t be an awkward mistake.

It seemed like both of them were at a loss for words. “These are for you.” He laid the flowers in her arms. 

“Blue bird asters!”

“Yes, I believe they’re your favorite this time of year. I’ve seen them in your office before.” He looked equally nervous, which was a bit jarring for the usual calm and in control demeanor of Patrick Jane.

“I’m not sure I’d ever put much thought into my seasonal taste in floral arrangements. They’re beautiful. Thank you! I’ll have to see about getting a vase sent up when I return.” Smiling, she turned and placed the flowers on her dressing table. Though he didn’t mean to, or at least he didn’t mean to get caught, he was staring at her. “What is it?”

“You look absolutely stunning this evening.”

In the few moments they stood there, she realized that this was Jane. She didn’t have to put on a fake smile and pretend to be someone she wasn’t like on previous dates. No, he knew her. They’d both seen each other at some low points and still felt this way about each other. Besides, she could sense the nervousness in his voice too. Tonight, she could fully be Teresa Lisbon without pulling back. “Just this evening?”

“I suppose you’re always stunning. You know, the typical response to that type of comment is ‘thank you.’ We might need to get Madeleine to work on those interviewing skills.”

“Oh, hush!” She swatted at his arm, but he intercepted her hand and brought it to his lips. That made her blush.

“We should get going.” She grabbed her coat, which he took out of her hands. He helped her put it on, and flipped her hair over the coat. Once again, he lent her his arm for balance. Though she didn’t really need it to balance in the heels anymore, she placed her arm into the crook of his elbow. The gesture felt as warm as their current closeness.

He took her to an upscale restaurant in the Hollywood Hills. It was already after dark when they left, so she couldn’t see much of the view, but she didn’t mind it so much as their hands were linked over the center console. The restaurant he brought them to was decorated well and dimly lit, which made it seem not only upscale but romantic. She could tell he put thought into this venue. 

“This is a nice restaurant.”

“It is. I was tempted to take you to Italian, but Madeleine seemed like she was serious about her whole clean eating thing for tomorrow.”

“She’s always serious. Tomorrow is an important day. She doesn’t want me bloated in a swimsuit on stage, and I tend to agree with her.”

“Ah. I see.”

“But this is just as well. Most importantly, I’m glad I’m here with you..”

He grinned. “Me too.”

“I guess we can skip most of the awkward first date talk.”

“We could, but maybe I’d like to get to know you better.”

“Please. You seem to know more about me than I know about myself.”

“That’s not true.”

“You know my favorite hobbies, what I do in my free time, my favorite food--hell, you even got my favorite flowers. Maybe it’s you who I should get to know better.”

He waved his hand in disinterest. “What’s your favorite love song?”

“What?” She blushed.

“Favorite love song. And don’t say ‘More than Words.’”

“You know I like that song!”

“You do, but it’s not your favorite love song. You just have fond memories of it.”

She thought about that for a moment. “Honestly, I don’t know if I have one. I always thought those songs were about a feeling in time, like if the words just made sense to you. None of the words have ever made sense to me.”

“Then, let’s choose one together.”

“Are you trying to charm me?”

He flashed her an extremely bright smile. “I am. How am I doing?”

“I’d give you 3 stars out of 5.”

He pretended to be hurt. “Only 3?”

“Because I think you had an idea of what I’d say, but you wanted to be cute about telling me you’d like to make memories together. Also, if I give you too many stars, you will get cocky.” She noticed his eyes were shining. “How am I doing?”  
xxxxxxx Jane’s POV xxxxxxx

He regarded her for a moment, as her smile showed on her entire face. Their banter was easy as always, but the way she smiled for him, at him, and because of him made her seem absolutely electric. Well, that and he noticed how the dim lighting caught on her mother’s cross that hung on her chest in the stunning black dress she wore tonight. He wasn’t kidding when he picked her up; she’d taken his breath away. He took a sip of his wine. “Very well. Tell me something I don’t know about you. Your choice.” 

“There’s a blond haired, blue-eyed man who I love. He’s a little arrogant. Makes me answer questions on an empty stomach.”

He smiled. “Ah, but I think the man brought you to this fine eatery so that your stomach would no longer be empty.” He motioned over their waiter to take their food order. “Do tell me more.” 

“I can tell you what I know about him.”

“Go on.”

“He’s trying really hard to be a perfect gentleman. You see, he stayed with me for over a week, knowing how he felt about me. Even after I confessed my feelings to him in a public bathroom, he invited me to dinner tonight instead of to his room for dessert.”

He could feel his eyes glisten with amusement, and a bit of desire and intrigue, as he detected something similar in hers. Her eyes danced as she spoke. She was tempting him. He kept with her premise. “Maybe he enjoyed staying with you, too. Did he know that dessert was an option for this evening?”

“Mmmm maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t. It doesn’t matter. He wanted to charm me by bringing me to a nice restaurant.”

“Huh. Did it work?”

“Perhaps.”

“Do you think he’ll ask you to his room for dessert?”

“Do you think he’d like dessert after such a nice, charming dinner?” 

“Maybe even more than dinner. I don’t think anyone is ever too full for dessert.”

“Well, unfortunately, I don’t think I can have any dessert tonight. Pageant things, you know.” 

He laughed as he leaned in. “Teresa Lisbon, I never took you for such a tease! Is this the kind of thing they teach Catholic school girls?” Even though he knew her line of questioning had been a temptation of sorts, it had lit a fire in him.

“Hmm. It’s possible. Maybe you didn’t know everything about me after all.” She took a sip of her wine and smiled at him once more.

“No, I guess not.” He reached for her hand, which she slid delicately into his. “I would absolutely love to learn more, especially about your preferred dessert options.”

She laughed out loud at that, but neither of them broke the contact of their hands. “Give it time.” She straightened her face. “So how long have you known you wanted to do this?”

“Take you out?” She blushed at his response, but he couldn’t be sure he wasn’t also blushing. “For a while now. I just couldn’t determine if that’s something you wanted me to do.”

She raised her eyebrows at him. “You couldn’t determine?”

He laced their fingers together. “No. Believe it or not: you’re a mystery to me. You’re an intelligent, charming, beautiful woman. You’re truly a catch.” She tilted her head to the side and guffawed at that. “I mean it, Teresa. When I wake up each morning, I want to see your smile. You’re one of my first thoughts each morning. I’ve sensed this tension for a long time, but I didn’t know if my senses were right.”

She took a moment to think over his words. They could both tell there was a lot left hanging in the air, words unspoken about his fear of betraying Angela and Charlotte, as well as his fear that the woman across from him would fall victim to Red John simply for daring to love him.

After a few seconds, she squeezed his hand. He could sense a bit of nervous tension in her now. “So what should I call you?”

“Call me Patrick, Teresa. In fact, I’d prefer it.”

“I mean, what should I say to other people. I can’t just call my brothers and say, ‘This is my Patrick,’ or I have a Patrick.’ It sounds a bit weird, don’t you think?” She giggled a little.

Sensing the source of her moment of nervousness, he smiled at her. He wanted her to be his, and he wanted to be hers. “That would be a bit weird. Though, I don’t have a problem with calling you ‘my Teresa,’ if you don’t mind. I suppose you’re asking about labels.”

Her cheeks were rosy red. Apparently, she liked the idea of him calling her “my Teresa.” He would remember that. “I am. I know it’s weird for a first date, but this doesn’t really seem like our first date. It seems like a dance we’ve been doing for a while. If we’re going to do this, let’s be all in. We don’t have to dance around it anymore.”

“As much as I like dancing with you, I have to agree that I don’t want to do that dance anymore--so Teresa Lisbon, would you be my girlfriend?” He wiggled his eyebrows as he purposely asked the question with all of the maturity of a 12 year old. His silliness worked as he saw her nervousness break and laughter emerge.

“Of course, Patrick. I will be your girlfriend. Do you want to be my boyfriend? Carry my books and my skates? Maybe bring me candy sometimes?”

“Absolutely. I’ll even get you beer!”

Moments later, their food arrived. They continued talking about anything and everything not related to Red John. After they finished their meals, they walked out to the curb, with her arm laced in the crook of his elbow once more, to wait for the car. As they waited he kissed her once again. “Thank you for such a great night.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I think I’m supposed to be the one to thank you.”

“Maybe, but I think you’re the one who did most of the work to make tonight possible.”

xxxxx Lisbon’s POV xxxxxxx

In the car back to the pageant site, they held hands over the center console once again. He had put on some radio station that claimed to play the classics. 

“I can hear you thinking over there.” He moved their hands over to stroke her chin.

“I just find it a little ridiculous that this is a classics station playing mostly songs from the 80s and 90s. Don’t you find that a little odd?”

“What? That we’re getting old? Becoming ancient.”

She scoffed at that. “Speak for yourself, grandpa! It’s not quite time for the 90s to be the classics quite yet.” He laughed at her indignation. Just then, a new song started. It was a song she hadn’t heard in years, which made her rethink her entire argument about the 80s and 90s not being classics quite yet. 

She recognized the first few bars as they played across the car radio: “Cause I feel so secure when we’re together. You give my life direction, you make everything clear.”

As he rolled to a stop at a stoplight, their eyes met once again. He recognized it, too. She glanced down at their intertwined hands for a moment, and then, she shifted her eyes up to meet his again. His look completely consumed her soul, but she could see her own feelings for him reflecting back at her.

“And I can’t fight this feeling anymore. I’ve forgotten what I started fighting for. It’s time to bring this ship into the shore, and throw away the oars forever.”

Even with the complications he brought sometimes, he made everything clear. Being near him was happiness. It was time for their ship to come into the shore. She took her hand out of his, and placed it on his cheek. He kissed her palm. She would never forget that song again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 2: See? Just fluff. Back on track next chapter! If you don't recognize the song, it's REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight this Feeling Anymore." Thanks lorastardust for recommending it!


	11. Love on Top

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying. This chapter gets us back into the pageant business, so some girl talk, team talk, and Jisbon (no sexy times, I'm afraid)!

“Should I walk you to your room?” The gleam in his eyes made her suspect that was not exactly the question he wanted to ask.

“No, it’s ok. I have to swing by Madeleine’s to pick up a dress for the morning and have a quick conversation. Pageant stuff.”

“Pageant stuff?” She nodded, but she could tell he didn’t buy it. Not even close. “Okay.”

When they turned to go toward the elevator, she noticed that Marcus and Thomas McAllister were engaged in a rather unfriendly looking conversation. Marcus saw her and waved at her. She returned the wave awkwardly, aware that Jane was still right next to her. McAllister only glared in their general direction with a puzzled look on his face before he continued whatever lecture he was giving the younger man. Jane looked at her questioningly, and she replied. “Marcus. The guy he’s talking to is the President of the Miss America Organization Thomas McAllister.”

“I see. It doesn’t look like he’s doing much talking though.” Obviously, Jane was sizing him up, but he needn’t worry. Jane gave her a hug before parting ways. While it was a public place, their cover was as boyfriend and girlfriend. Even with the prying eyes of the FBI, this was perfectly legitimate on paper.

Madeleine took a little longer than usual to answer her door. When she opened the door, she looked a little out of sorts. She came to the door in her floral robe. “Hold on one second.” Within moments, she understood why Madeleine was out of sorts as Max came to the door, looking in a similar state. She looked away but grinned.

As he walked through to leave her room, she heard him say: “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Once he was gone, Lisbon turned to look at her consultant who had a look of shame on her face and her hand on her forehead. “You know, I thought he was…”

“I forgot I told you to drop by.”

“Hmm. I was going to say “taken,” but I guess I know why he was here so early this morning.”

Her consultant nodded as she waved to her kitchenette. “Please grab a drink and make yourself at home. I’m going to go change really quick.”

Lisbon grabbed a bottle of water and sat on the couch. Madeleine exited her bedroom in a t-shirt, lounge pants, and slippers carrying a garment bag with a shoe bag draped on top of it.

“This is your dress for morning tea. You’ll want a light coat of makeup. If you can get your hair to act right, you could wear it the way it is now, and it would be perfect. Half up and half down also wouldn’t be bad.”

“Any specific tips about tea that I need to know?”

“No, it’s just the same formal etiquette. I can’t believe you have an invitation for tea. It seems a bit...dated.”

“If you knew this woman, you’d understand why it’s something she would suggest.” The other woman shrugged at that. “But I guess that’s not why you wanted me to save time for you to unceremoniously boot your lover from your room.”

Madeleine laughed as she sat in the sofa chair adjacent to the couch. “Teresa, I promise when he texted me I forgot you were coming by.”

Lisbon put her hands up in mock surrender. “You could’ve just handed me my dress and sent me on my way. You didn’t have to let me stand in the way of your good time.” She wiggled her shoulders.

“My job is to be here for you. Everything else comes second. Max and I are...well, he’s fun to be around. Keeps me in good spirits. How was your dinner with Patrick?”

“It was perfect. We went to a restaurant in the Hollywood Hills. He was a perfect gentleman...as I proceeded to tease him for not being able to join him in his room this evening.”

“Honey, where there is a will, there is a way.” Both women laughed at that.

“No, but it was a good night. It’s the first time in a long time that I actually felt good, you know? I felt sexy, desired. It was sweet.”

“You know he desires you even if you don’t look the way you’re dressed right now, right? I could see it the moment I met you both. And the way he talks about you? You’re the center of his world!”

She felt her cheeks grow warm. “He’s seen me at my best and at my worst. He knows what I do for a living, and he’s not going to suddenly freak out at the fact that I chase people with a badge and gun. We’ve spent most of our days together the past three years. He’s always supported me, even in taking this assignment. The guys laughed when he suggested me for this assignment, but he knew I could do it.”

“I’ve only known you for a few weeks, and it’s pretty plain to see that you two get on rather well. He holds you in high regard. All of the talk about your inner beauty from a man who can barely take his eyes off of you is a dead give away!”

“Well, if he’s the one thing I can walk away from this job with, then I will happily take it.”

Madeleine shifted in her seat. “Walk away?”

Lisbon sighed. “Between us?” The other woman nodded. “I just don’t know how much longer I can do this, especially after this assignment. Red John...he changes a person.”

“He does. He upended my entire life.” 

“You know how it is. Let’s just say that I don’t think I am long with the FBI.”

“Why would you say that? If you catch Red John, I don’t think they’re cutting you loose. Don’t you get an award for catching terrorists, or am I missing something?”

Lisbon paused for a moment to think about her consultant’s words. “My roommate, Michelle, told me her dream is to be an FBI agent, but she doesn’t think she’s cut out for it. She said she’s just a beauty queen and would be useless to the FBI. The truth is that she’s smart and has a good heart. All I can think of is how we need hundreds more agents like her to really bring new life to the Bureau and make real change happen.”

“But?”

“I also know what I’ve faced over the years. Some of it, I wouldn’t even wish on my sworn enemies. Even now, another agent is constantly questioning my choices and pulling the rug from under me at every opportunity. I am routinely harassed at work, and even assaulted once, but I don’t say anything. I knew when I signed up that it was a boys’ club where it’s best to just go along to get along. But that’s become the problem. I try to fit in and make my agents exhibit professionalism at all times. I demand the best from them. Except for my team and Patrick, I’m pretty sure everyone else in the building sees me as a laughing stock.”

Madeleine was momentarily speechless before shaking her head and chuckling just a bit. “I did not expect to hear that. If they don’t trust you, why would they send you on this assignment?”

“Simple. They couldn’t send a man.” Both women laughed.

“They don’t want me here either. I’m a black woman from Mississippi. I grew up with not a lot before I started doing pageants for scholarship money. I was also a ceiling breaker. I’ve never fit their mold, but I carved out a space for myself like I expect you have at the FBI. You prepare for the worst and expect it, hoping that those you work with won’t actually be the worst. The truth is: I would still be working pageants if not for Red John destroying me.”

“Yes, and they still somehow let you down.”

The other woman continued. “I just hope you see your own value to the FBI. Without you, who would they have sent here? You say they need more agents like your roommate, but what about you? If you go, then who will be there for her? Who makes the changes we want to see in the world? I imagine you have many of the same qualities that she has. Maybe part of our role is making sure that women like her, or my niece Kayla, can continue building upon what we and others have started.”

She regarded her consultant’s words for a moment. While she was sure Michelle was cut out for the FBI gig, Madeleine had a point about being there to welcome more agents like her into the agency. “What about you? Are you going back to pageants after this?”

Madeleine thought about the question for a moment. “I don’t know. I have actually found that I like event planning. If you can handle a beauty queen, you can handle a bridezilla.”

Lisbon laughed. “Fair. I should probably get going. Everything is great with me and Patrick. I would just prefer you not talk to anyone about this. Any of it.” Honestly, this was the first time she’d spoken candidly to anyone about her feelings on her job. She was frustrated and didn’t know what to do, and she could only see that getting worse as this assignment and her relationship with Jane progressed.

Later, after she was sliding into her bed, she checked her phone and saw a message from Jane.

“Thanks again for letting me take you to dinner. I had a fun time.”

“When you say things like that, I’m waiting for the ‘but’ to come.”

He responded with a laughing emoji. “There is no ‘but.’ I enjoyed spending time with you and can’t wait to do that a lot more when we can go home.”

She smiled. “Me too. I enjoyed dinner. Will I see you in the morning?”

“Of course. Sleep tight, darling.” It was not as restful as sleeping next to him, but it was a nice message to fall asleep to.

xxxxxxxxxx

The next morning, she got up early to get ready for tea with Erica. Madeleine had set out a sleeveless brown crepe dress with white polka dots that cinched in at her waist and fell down to the middle of her calf with brown heels to match. Once again, she helped Michelle, who was wearing a similar style dress that was cream colored with a floral print, get ready too. She imagined if she truly had a little sister, this is the kind of thing they would have done together. She really didn’t mind.

Erica was already in the tea room when they arrived. “Good morning, Erica. How are you this morning?” 

“I’m doing great. Thanks for joining me for tea. I expect Kim will be here soon.”

“No Lorelei this morning?” She was genuinely surprised to find her there without Lorelei attached to her hip.

Erica scrunched up her nose. “She told me that she wouldn’t be able to make it this morning. I’m a little surprised that she would turn down this invite. Honestly, it’s a little rude.” She simply shrugged her bare shoulders, the move accentuated by the bright red off the shoulder sleeves of her dress.

“Ah! Maybe she’s just not a morning person. I know I can be a bit slow in the mornings.” Again, not a lie.

“Well, she never came back last night, so who knows!”

“Oh.” Lisbon leaned in. This could be something salacious. “Is it a lover?”

Erica rolled her eyes and looked Lisbon square in the eye and flashed her a smile. “What do you think?” Not for the first time, Lisbon noticed what beautiful brown eyes she had.

Then, Erica turned her attention to Michelle. “I’m glad you could make it, little dove. Tea with the girls is always a good time to relax and bond a bit. I find a good cup of tea is quite relaxing.” Lisbon smiled. “What’s so funny, Gracie?”

“Oh nothing! I was just thinking of something...of someone.”

Michelle chimed in. “Is it because your boyfriend runs a tea house?”

“Oh, Finn has a tea house?” 

Lisbon nodded. “It’s a business that he’s trying really hard to get going, but he loves tea. He says it’s calming, and he’s even gone as far as to call it a hug in a cup.” The other two women at the table giggled at that. It was strange to hear Erica giggle, but it was good that the conversation was going well. 

“He sounds like a rather interesting guy. Is he the kind you hang onto, or is he a passing fancy?”

Admittedly, it was a question that was fair and she could easily answer in her cover. Gracie would definitely talk to her friends about where she saw her and Finn headed, but nevertheless, formulating the answer brought heat to her cheeks. “I definitely think he’s a keeper. I’ve never felt as intensely about anyone as I feel for him. I love him.” Only one day in and that certainly wasn’t a lie. 

“And how long have you been together?”

“Three years.”

“So perhaps the engagement ring comes after the Cartier bracelet. He’s certainly set the standards high for himself on that end.” Again, Lisbon blushed a bit as Michelle grinned.

Michelle decided to ask a question. “So how did you meet?”

“Through my sister Darla’s boyfriend. They’re friends.”

“Oh! Sisters dating friends. How romantic!” Michelle, ever the romantic.

“That’s right!”

“Are your sister and her boyfriend still together?”

“Yep, and expecting a baby!” Shit. She didn’t have to go that far in her story, but there wasn’t really a way to backpedal out of that one now. Hopefully, it was just Van Pelt and Jane listening in at this hour. “I’m going to be an aunt!”

“Oh, congratulations!” 

Around that time, Kim showed up and hurriedly took her seat. “Sorry, I’m running a few minutes behind. My consultant wanted to cover a few things this morning. Who are we congratulating?”

“Gracie is going to be an aunt!” Michelle was incredibly excited.

Erica simply shrugged again. “Consultants are always wanting to go over things. Thanks for joining us. Though, you could’ve taken time to get ready for tea.”

Kim smiled an awkward, embarrassing smile. “I’m sorry. Is it that obvious?” Lisbon was a bit lost, and she could tell Michelle was equally lost.

“It definitely is. You’re still wearing an evening dress. You didn’t make it back to your room last night, did you?” 

“No, I met someone in the bar after dinner. Decided to have a good time. Sorry I was late.”

Erica glanced at her sideways. “That’s it? No details?”

Kim was ready with the immediate retort. “Ah, Erica, I think you should know a true lady never kisses and tells.” 

Erica’s eyes narrowed at that. “I suppose not, but a true lady also doesn’t come to tea in her walk of shame wear. I guess it’s a good thing we’re bound by girl code.”

“Girl code?” Of course, Lisbon was familiar with the idea. She just hadn’t heard it since middle school and wanted to make sure it meant what she thought.

“She means you won’t be ratting me out for being out all night with a boy because our bond as sisters trumps all.” Kim smiled at the other woman, as she gave an answer dripping in such sarcasm that even Michelle caught it. Her smile definitely did not meet her eyes. Erica poured tea for all of them and their tea cakes arrived. These two certainly liked digging at each other, almost like a cat and mouse game. “So boy or girl?” 

“We aren’t sure yet.”

“In any case, that’s exciting. Is it your sister or brother?”

“My sister. Darla. She’s actually here in LA right now. She’s going to be attending the pageant events.”

Erica’s eyebrows arched at that. “Oh dear! You should’ve mentioned your sister is here. I would have told you to invite her this morning.”

Lisbon waved her hand. “That’s totally not necessary. Besides, this is our cohort bonding moment!”

“That doesn’t matter. We’d love to meet your sister.” Erica’s eyes told a different story, almost like she was fishing for something. “You should invite her to dinner tonight?”

“Dinner tonight?” Lisbon looked at Michelle who shrugged.

Kim chimed in. “I assume Erica is trying to organize a post-swimsuit competition gorge fest as sort of our last night?”

Erica nodded. “That’s absolutely what I’m trying to do. After being meticulously groomed for today, we can stand to use a real meal and maybe a few drinks. So long as that stupid competition is in the books, we should rejoice!”

Michelle giggled. “That sounds like a plan to me! Gracie, you should definitely invite Darla to dinner!”

“I will see if she’s free for dinner tonight.”

The four women continued in their conversation for a little while before they each had to break off and go prepare for the day’s events. Lisbon took no issue in wearing a swimsuit. In fact, she’d spent many summers on the shore in one. It was the fact that so many people would be staring at her, including her male colleagues. Because of the location of the pageant, the organizers decided to have it out on the beach. From the way Brittany and Kayla reacted when they learned this news, it seemed the ocean air could carry the event in many different directions.

On the way to Madeleine’s room, she stopped and grabbed a coffee and a tea. As she expected, Jane was sitting on the couch when she arrived.

“Good morning, everyone!” She wasn’t sure who all was already there. Jane was grinning at her, which made her break into a goofy smile.

Madeleine yelled from her bedroom. “Good morning! Just have a seat for now.”

Jane stood up as she handed him his tea. He sat it down, as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. She stayed as quiet as possible to make sure the bracelet didn’t pick up anything. When he broke the kiss, she lingered in his arms. “Good morning. How was tea?”

“It was fine. Is it just us?”

“Yes. Madeleine is on the phone. Was it as fun watching Erica and Kim spar as it was to listen?”

“Oh, well I never took you for someone to love so much Real Housewives drama so early in the morning.”

“Please. Those two are rather interesting. They’re like oil and water, but there’s some story there. Some bad history.”

Lisbon shrugged. “It’s possible. If they’ve been on the pageant circuits, it’s likely they’ve come across each other before.”

He nodded along as he looked down into her eyes. “Glad to hear I’m definitely a keeper though.” He winked at her knowingly. Of course, he could sense her inner turmoil over discussing their fictional vs. very real, budding relationship. She swatted at his arm, but he intercepted her hand and held it as he led them back to the couch.

“Any insights on why she wants me to invite my sister to dinner? Which I definitely should do.” At that, she pulled out her phone to message Van Pelt: “Did you hear? You’re invited to dinner tonight. Find a dinner dress to wear. I can get Madeleine to help if you need it.”

“Mmm...what was her facial expression like?”

“Like she was digging for something.”

“It’s possible she wants to know more about you. You did provide quite the challenge to her.”

She considered that for a moment. “You think she wants to be friends?” She received a return message from Van Pelt that read: “On it, boss. Don’t give Jane too hard of a time this morning.” 

She grinned at that message. “I doubt I’m anything like her normal friends who worship the ground she walks on.”

“No, but it would mean she has good taste.” He smiled at her, and she returned the smile.

Madeleine came walking out of her room. “Ok, Teresa. We need to do a practice round of interviews before the boys get here to do your tan.”

“My what now? I thought we’ve established I don’t tan.”

“It’s not that kind of tan. They’re just going to bronze you a little bit with this spray tan-sunblock concoction they came up with. I don’t quite understand it, but it will make your skin look sunkissed while keeping the sun from burning you lobster red. And they’ll touch up your bikini line.”

Lisbon raised her eyebrows. “Well, if you put it that way…”

“Good. Let’s get started. We can work right here.” She patted the chair in front of her. “Come sit here please. Also, that dress is gorgeous on you.”

“Thank you.” Lisbon followed her consultant’s command. 

“What I’d like to practice today is running through some simple questions that may be asked during your interviews at the pageant. Tomorrow will be a hectic day with the full rehearsal, so it’s best if we do this now. You will be standing on stage, and you will get a question. It will be something like ‘describe your perfect date’ or ‘what do you think would make the world better.’ The trick is to give thoughtful, but concise, answers.”

Jane grinned. “Think of it like you’re being interrogated. You want to give the right answer but not too much.”

She frowned at him a little, catching his tongue-in-cheek remark. “Thank you, Patrick, but I am capable of coaching Teresa on responding to questions.”

He waved his hands in the air. “Ok, but when she starts talking about the intricate details of harsher punishments for parole violators, don’t look at me.”

Lisbon guffawed loudly, even as she noted she wouldn’t be against that idea under the right circumstances.

“Patrick, I’m sure you can be incredibly charming when you set your mind to it.” Lisbon laughed at Madeleine’s barb.

“Ouch! Madeleine, that punch really landed, and it hurt. You know how to wound a man.” 

“And I wouldn’t have to wound a man if he let me work with my contestant in peace.” Lisbon chuckled at the two of them. She loved the gift her consultant had for dealing with Jane.

“Touche. On that note, I’m going to go for a walk.” He got up off the couch. “Is she free for lunch around 11:30 or so. Just 30 minutes or so?” 

Madeleine took a moment to think about the question. “Make it 12. Tom and George will be here at 1, so yes. You better make sure she’s back on time.”

“Deal!”

Lisbon put her arms out as she looked side to side in confusion. It’s like she wasn’t even there. He squeezed Lisbon’s shoulder on the way out of the room. “Try to stay out of trouble.” Her voice was caught midway between Agent Lisbon and Teresa. He winked at her.

There was a brief moment of silence before Madeleine spoke again. “Men!” Both women laughed at that.

Around 11:45, there was a knock on Madeleine’s door. Van Pelt was there to see Lisbon.

“Morning, boss!”

“Hey, Grace.” Madeleine looked at her sideways, but she declined to correct her speech. “I know you two haven’t met, but this is Madeleine Hightower. She’s my beauty consultant. Madeleine this is Agent Grace Van Pelt, or as you will know her, my sister Darla Freebush.”

“It’s lovely to meet you, Grace.” Madeleine reached for Grace’s hand.

“Likewise, Ms. Hightower.”

“Oh please! Madeleine is fine.”

Lisbon smiled at their little interaction. Something made her wonder how well these two would get along. “Did you find something to wear tonight, or do you need Madeleine’s help?”

“I found something!” She noticed Van Pelt seemed to be bracing herself for the next part. “Agent Haffner gave me the morning off to go dress shopping for tonight. He wanted to make sure I found something appropriate.” Ah, there it was.

“Well, that was nice of him.” Madeleine looked at each woman before turning her head to the side and slightly shaking her head.

“Well, Agent Van Pelt…”

“Oh, Grace is fine. Or Darla. Darla is probably best.”

“Darla, please let me know if you need anything after the competition. We can probably get you in with the hair and makeup girls if you’d like.”

“Oh.” Van Pelt blushed a bit. “I think I can handle that.”

“Yeah, Madeleine, you can send Brittany and Zoey off once we’re done. I won’t need them for tonight either.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. Michelle and I will get ready in our room. Grace, you should drop by and introduce yourself to her before dinner, too. She’s very energetic, and I think you two will hit it off. You can get ready with us, if you’d like.”

“Got it. Are you ready for lunch?”

“I thought…” Van Pelt just nodded her head, indicating there was a plan that may require her silence.

“Oh ok.” Lisbon looked to Madeleine.

With a wave of her hand, Madeleine called their interview session. “Remember: I need you back here at 1pm sharp.”

“I will be back at 1pm sharp!”

With that, she and Van Pelt made their way to lunch. Van Pelt cut her transmission almost immediately. 

“You’re clear, boss.”

“Thanks. So what did Haffner do?”

Van Pelt rolled her eyes. “Nothing really. Just made a big deal about how I needed time off to focus on making sure I looked the part because I would need to at least look as good as you. Made some remarks about how women need time to work on our appearances. Of course, I didn’t need the morning or the lecture on looking pretty. I had packed a few different dresses with me just in case.”

Lisbon sighed. “Grace, I’m sorry.”

“No, seriously. It’s nothing compared to how he talks to you and about you.” 

“But that’s not ok. I can talk to him.”

“No, everything is fine.” For the first time, Lisbon considered whether she was setting a good example for Van Pelt.

She discovered that lunch today would be in no other place than Jane’s room as they arrived at his door. She hadn’t been to his room, but she knew this is where he was staying. He opened the door immediately, or rather, she thought it was him at the door.

“Rigsby!”

“Hey, boss!”

She walked in to find Cho and Jane seated on his sofa. Cho also greeted her, “Boss.” Rigsby and Van Pelt took a seat in two chairs across from the sofa, while she sat down next to Jane.

“It’s great to see you guys...so that I can yell at you in person. What the hell are you two thinking disobeying a direct order?”

Cho remained still, but Rigsby looked a bit taken aback. Jane just continued drinking his tea.

“Well, boss, it was Jane’s idea.” 

“I know whose idea it was, Wayne. I’m asking why you thought it was a good idea to go along with it.”

The tall, dark-haired man got quiet again.

“Are you mad that we stayed?” Cho, who had been with her the longest of all of the people in the room, knew how she liked to work. He probably knew the answer to her question before he even asked it.

She sighed as she made direct eye contact with Cho. “No, I’m not mad that you stayed. In fact, I’m glad that you are here. Like Jane and Van Pelt reminded me, we have always worked best as a team. And we know this case the best. She paused, glancing at Jane, before continuing. “I am afraid though. You stay here in direct disobedience of an order from Minelli means we are all in deep shit.”

“No, we are not.” Rigsby chimed in.

“Oh, why’s that? Do you know a new rule that the FBI has enacted that I don’t know about? Like a new rule about agents on the same team fraternizing and maybe having a baby?” His face fell, so she picked it up quickly. “By the way, I’m not mad at either of you. I’m happy for you. Truly.”

“Thanks, boss, but…”

Over Rigsby’s interruption, she continued. “I can only dodge so many bullets from OPR at once and survive.”

Cho interrupted this time. “Boss, I think what he meant to say was that we stayed of our own accord. You didn’t have anything to do with our choice at any point, and we will make sure Minelli knows as much, including your objections to us being here once you found out.”

Lisbon put her face in her hands. “You know that’s not how this works. You are my team. You’re here because I wanted you here. That’s the bottom line.”

Jane finally spoke up. “Well, I think they’re trying to give you plausible deniability.”

“You think? This is your doing!” Her words came out with a little more aggression than she intended, but Jane seemed to pick up on the fear in her words as he tapped her hand in support. She heard Rigsby snicker, which drew her attention. “What? What is so funny?”

His face went pale. “Well, it’s just that even with you guys together now, you’re still the same as always.” Grace kicked him and made a face at him, demanding he be quiet. “Ow!”

Lisbon jumped up off the couch. “Oh my God.” She was pacing while everyone just looked at her. She glared at Van Pelt. “You told him?”

“Unfortunately, it seems I didn’t use my best judgment.” As she saw Lisbon’s increasing rage, she spoke more quickly, putting her hands up in surrender. “But I was just really excited, and it slipped out last night. I’m really sorry.”

“Unbelievable!” While Lisbon was freaking out, Jane was smiling on the couch. “What? What’s so amusing?”

“Well, your rage for one. Are you really that embarrassed by me?” He tapped his hand to his heart and feigned mock hurt.

Her aggression returned in full force. “I’m not embarrassed!” Truly, she wasn’t. She just wasn’t prepared for this conversation yet.

“I think the more interesting question is: Rigsby, who did you tell?”

Rigsby swallowed. “I told Cho.”

“Ah. There it is!” Jane laughed as Lisbon made a sound. “I could tell from Cho’s genuine lack of surprise.”

“It wasn’t right for him to be the only one who didn’t know!” Cho nodded along, obviously accepting Rigsby’s line of reasoning.

“Van Pelt, I asked for discretion! Does girl code mean nothing to you?” At that, Jane cackled as Cho and Rigsby looked at each other in confusion.

“For what it’s worth, we’re happy for you.” She found that very sweet and endearing from Cho. His words and slight nod of approval made her tension decrease a bit. Then, he looked at Jane. “If you hurt her, we will kill you. We know how to get rid of bodies.”

All five of them got a laugh at that, even Lisbon. Rigsby spoke again. “Truly, boss. We’re happy for you. Jane, you too.” Jane nodded as he got up and took Lisbon’s hand, which made what was left of her worry disappear.

“Well, I am happy for us.” Jane brought her hand to his lips and kissed it again.

“Me too.” She spoke softly, almost in a near whisper. Evening her voice back out, she addressed her team again. “Did you tell anyone else?”

Cho answered her question in a very matter of fact tone. “Boss, we’ve only talked to each other. We’re not even supposed to be here.”

“Fair point. Ok, so what’s the plan?” She decided she had to get this conversation back on track.

“I am coming to this afternoon’s event.” She was glad Cho would be the one there. “Rigsby is going to listen from the car. Van Pelt is doing whatever Haffner has her doing.”

“I’ll be in the crowd.”

“How is command going, by the way?”

“It’s fine. LaRoche and Wainwright are both pretty content with doing whatever Haffner assigns. He keeps saying your security is most important. He wanted me to tell you that we will have coverage at every event.”

“Good, I guess. What about background checks?”

“Kim Fischer’s is still outstanding. I’m not sure why I haven’t received it yet, but I will check into it this afternoon.”

“Ok, great. Now, is there really food here, or was this all a ruse? I’m seriously hoping there’s food here.” 

Jane smiled. “Before you get into angry princess mode, just know there’s food coming in just a few minutes. I ordered you a chicken salad.”

She sighed in relief. “Oh thank God! I’m starving.”

“I figured you would be.” He leaned in and kissed her chastely, remembering they were not alone. 

She noticed a look of disgust on Rigsby’s face. “What?”

“It’s like watching my parents kiss.”

“Oh. Haha.” Cho even smiled at that. Van Pelt still looked a little unsure of her position with Lisbon. “Van Pelt, I’m not mad. It’s probably for the best that it’s out in the open. I just really don’t need Haffner running around with this info.”

“Understood, boss.”

“And I’m not mad at you, Rigsby and Cho. We are in this together. We are a team. Thank you for being here, even if it is outside of channels.”

Cho spoke again. “We’re still going to tell Minelli you had nothing to do with it.”

She signed inwardly. “It doesn’t really matter. Let’s just catch this son of a bitch and stay out of as much trouble as possible so we can get home.” They all nodded along with that.

Room service delivered a cart full of food for them. Lisbon couldn’t help but notice the burgers Cho and Rigsby ordered. As she stabbed her salad with her fork, she couldn’t help but think how she could not wait to be able to eat real food--or have a beer or three--again.

About ten minutes before one, she decided to wrap their meeting to get back to Madeleine’s room for competition prep.

“Guys, keep it low key. Grace, I will text you when I have dinner time. Just come up to my room and meet Michelle.” They all nodded. “And Jane, be good.”

“When am I not?”

“You and I both know I don’t have time to answer that question.”

“Meh. I’ll walk you back to Madeleine’s room.”

She shook her head. “No. I’m perfectly fine. You should get out in the crowd. Observe and be sure to check in with Van Pelt. Besides, it’s just going to be a ridiculous amount of preening and primping before this event.”

“Are you sure?”

“I mean, do you really want to be there for my spray tan and bikini wax touch up?” He pretended to ponder it for a moment. “No! I don’t need babysitting. Get your ass into the crowd. Try to avoid Haffner at all costs.”

Cho spoke up. “He can hang back with me.” Jane looked to Cho and back to Lisbon.

She liked that idea. “That sounds perfect to me.”

“For you, Teresa? I will accept Cho’s babysitting.” He put his arms out, and she walked into his embrace. He leaned down a bit to whisper into her ear. “Good luck, Teresa. I love you. Remember you are safe.” With the palms of her hands braced flat against his chest, she leaned out to look into his blue eyes. She wasn’t sure whether his last comment was for her assurance or his own.

As Lisbon returned to Madeleine’s room, she found Tom and George awaiting. Madeleine was right; this was a rather painless process that did actually make her skin look really nice and feel protected from the day’s sun. For not the first time in this whole pageant exercise, she was awfully glad these festivities were held in the winter and not in the dead heat of an LA summer.

Once she was done with her skin toning, Brittany and Zoey got to work. 

“I cannot believe they are holding this out on the beach front!” Brittany was completely flustered. She told her that today’s hair was going to be a little different, but she didn’t expect quite so much hairspray on top of her now straight, volumized hair.

Zoey nodded in agreement, but Kayla just laughed. “Of course it’s on the beach. If you’re hosting a pageant along the coast, why not have the swimsuit competition on the beach? It makes sense.”

Zoey chimed in. “It might make sense, but it’s hell on those of us who have to contend with the wind and humidity to create a look to last for several hours.”

Kayla shrugged as her braids bounced off of her shoulder. “Well, I guess it’s good that nails don’t depend on that stuff. I think it’s going to be a good event! It’s a really nice day outside today.” Kayla returned her attention to Lisbon. “Can you remind me what shade your swimsuit is?”

“It’s emerald. I’m wearing golden slides.”

“Mmm ok. I think we will paint your toenails red.”

Lisbon’s eyes went wide with panic. “Wait. No. Please don’t do red. Any color but red please.”

“How about royal blue? I will do a french manicure for your fingers. Is that ok?”

She smiled and nodded, thankful that Kayla hadn’t picked up on her moment of panic. “That’s perfect!”

Moments later, Zoey yelled out. “Everyone move back! Gracie, close your eyes and mouth.” She also didn’t expect her entire face to be covered in hairspray as Zoey lifted her head up and sprayed into the air. She felt like she might choke.

“Sorry about that, honey. This is to seal your look in. I’d hate for it to run.” 

“Run? Where’s it going? This is California in the dead of winter!”

“Yes, but a little ocean air can destroy a look. I’ve seen it happen. Not today!”

She didn’t bother to argue with her consultant. Her face already felt heavy with makeup, now it had the stickiness of volumizing hair spray. Washing her face this evening would be a welcome respite.

Once her hair, makeup, and nails were all set, she put on her swimsuit. Once she was in her suit, an emerald green triangle top with a matching bottom, Madeleine and Max joined her.

“Well, I’m glad you kept your promise.” Her consultant winked at her, and Max hummed in agreement. He handed her the golden cover dress and slides she’d be wearing—but not before Madeleine sprayed it up her thighs and in her bikini line. Honestly, she never expected to feel quite so victimized by hair spray.

Madeleine held onto her sash and gave her a little more information about the day as she put on her earrings. “They’ll do a short run through, but basically, you all go on stage and walk to the platform two at a time. Don’t forget to smile.”

“Right. Anything else I need to know?” 

Madeleine directed Max to leave them for a moment. Waiting for him to close the door, she continued. “No, but is there anything I need to know?”

Lisbon was a bit lost for a moment. “No, we will have plain clothes agents monitoring the crowd. You’ve met Jane and Van Pelt. If you need anything, contact them. Do you have your phone?”

Madeleine handed Lisbon her phone. She entered Van Pelt’s number. “If you have any issues, reach out to her. She will know what to do.”

“Great. I can do that. Are you ok? It’s normal for women to get nervous before this part.”

Lisbon laughed. “I wish I were. I’m reliving my glory days of bikini tops on the lakefront for the entire summer. It’s fine.” 

Her consultant laughed as she checked her phone one last time. Jane had messaged her: “Waiting in the wings. I’m sure you look great, even if you are holding onto your cool exterior and pretending not to be nervous right now.”

Of course Jane knew! She was absolutely dying on the inside and suddenly felt the heaviness of the very light lunch she ate. Being half naked in front of a bunch of strangers whose purpose was to watch her being half naked felt odd. Not to mention she’d likely never live this down in this office. Surely, they’d plaster snapshots all around and have jokes for months.

“Get out of my head, love.” She put her phone in her bag and followed her consultant out to the beach front staging area.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is the swimsuit competition and some shenanigans!


	12. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A swimsuit competition, some girls just having fun, and a complication that's a pain in the ass!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the likes/kudos/comments! I'm having fun writing this story and exploring some of my favorite aspects of the show and relationships in this context.

Out on the beach, Marcus had directed all of the contestants to line up. They ran through the same things Madeleine already told her. She and Michelle were set to walk up on stage together. Though, she could tell that her poor roommate looked about like how she felt on the inside: like a deer in the headlights. She just had years of practice at maintaining her calm on the outside.

As they gathered in the makeshift backstage area for touch ups and got in place, they got caught up. “Hey, roomie. I love your suit!” The other woman wore a suit similar to her own, except hers was bright pink and had floral decal on it. She really looked gorgeous. “How’s it going?”

“Ok, I guess.” She was staring blankly into space and fidgeting with her hands. If she were a suspect, this was the moment Agent Lisbon would’ve gone in for the kill, but Gracie (and Teresa) would go for a different tactic.

Lorelei, who was in front of them with Erica, turned suddenly and looked at them. “Oh God. The baby’s got bubble guts, doesn’t she? Do me a favor and don’t puke on us.”

Lisbon felt her entire face shift into a rage, preparing to tell Lorelei to fuck off as nicely as possible, but she didn’t get the chance. “Oh come now, Lorelei. Be nice to her. Don’t make it worse.” Lisbon had not been prepared for Erica to intercede on Michelle’s behalf, especially against her minion, whose face showed equal surprise and something insidiously dark.

Erica continued. “But please don’t throw up on us. If you feel it coming up, just turn away from everyone. I’m surprised your consultant didn’t give you anything for the nervousness.”

Lisbon closed her eyes in an attempt to suppress her rage as she took both of Michelle’s hands in hers and turned to face her. She supposed Erica was doing her best, but her bedside manor could use some help.

“Don’t pay attention to them. It’s kinda crazy how people are gathered here just to see us in our swimsuits, huh?” She nodded. “My mom used to take us to the beach every summer. We’d go and hang out on Lake Michigan like we were mermaids, practically living in our suits. Did your mom ever take you to the beach when you were a kid?”

Her face brightened a little at that question. “Yes, we lived in Miami. Sometimes, we’d just go and hang out.”

“Did people stare at you a lot?”

“Not really. I was just a kid then though.”

“Yeah, but you felt calm and safe? Just having fun.”

“Yes.”

She squeezed Michelle’s hands in hers. “Just pretend you’re back there. We’re just a group of girls having fun. Okay?”

She nodded rapidly. “Okay. You’re right. This is just fun.”

“Good!” She leaned in to whisper in her roommate’s ear. “If you do throw up, though make sure you aim for Lorelei. She spoke the demon into existence.” Michelle laughed at that.

Lisbon saw Kim. She was next to Miss Vermont. They exchanged glances and handwaves, the other woman doing a fake tummy rub and feigning hunger pangs. That made Lisbon giggle. The women all walked out onto the stage, dividing themselves into five rows. They all stood there as Mr. Bertram introduced the organization and the pageant event. 

“These women have worked hard to make this event today. The Miss America Organization has a long history of making the swimsuit competition an event that contestants and attendees alike can…” Honestly, he was not the most energetic speaker. He quickly lost her attention as his words droned on and on and she started to scan the crowd. 

Michelle did ok as they stood in a group, but Lisbon could sense her growing agitation, along with some of her own nervousness seeping back in, as their turn to the platform approached. When it was time for them to go up, Lisbon grasped Michelle’s right hand in her own. The other woman looked at her with big eyes. “Smile big!” They jaunted out to the front of the platform, hand in hand, smiling and waving for the world to see.

As Lisbon stood on the platform with Michelle, she looked for Jane or Cho. She didn’t see them, but she did spot Van Pelt. She also noticed a rather tall brown haired man looking at them strangely. Something about him sent shivers down Lisbon’s spine. She noticed him from further away, but the way he stared at her like he had x-ray vision gave her the creeps and set off all of her cop senses.

When they returned to the rows of contestants, Lisbon feigned fixing her hair to talk into her bracelet. “Tall brown, shaggy haired man at my 2 o’clock. In a blue flannel shirt. Check him out.”

She was afraid to say much more without drawing attention to herself, but she soon noticed Ron approach the man and walk off with him. She’d be sure to check in with command before dinner.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxs

Once they were dismissed from the event, Lisbon couldn’t wait to get back to her room. She found Cho and Jane standing near Madeleine. Her consultant congratulated her for doing a good job and handed her all of her possessions. “Take the morning tomorrow. We’ll need a little prep time before the dress rehearsal. Just don’t get too crazy tonight.”

“I won’t do anything you wouldn’t do, Madeleine.” Her consultant just laughed as she squeezed her shoulder and walked away.

Cho nodded at her as Jane kissed her cheek and pulled out the yellow flowers he had been hiding behind his back.

“Congratulations! Nice job out there.”

She smiled. “Thank you. You know, I’m running out of places for flowers.”

“No you’re not, and you were just thinking about how lazy eyed susans go nicely with blue bird asters. And that was a very nice thing you did for Michelle to try to calm her down.” She felt the heat rising in her cheeks as she fiddled with the flowers in her hands. Him being able to read her was both a blessing and a curse.

“It was nothing.”

“Hmmm not nothing. It was a kindness that she appreciated. You gave her the confidence to walk out there, even though you lacked confidence yourself. It’s another one of those remarkable little things that you do.” He put his thumb on her jawbone, as she smiled at him.

Cho cleared his throat. Whether to remind her that people were listening or that he was standing there, she wasn’t sure, but it was enough for them to put some space between them. She heard her phone vibrate in her bag. Retrieving it, she read Van Pelt’s cryptic message to the two men in front of her.

“Our cousin Richard Haibach is going home to talk to Uncle Ray. I’ll let you know what happens.” They both nodded along with her words. 

She responded to Van Pelt’s message. “Great! Keep me in the loop. Meet me in my room in 45 minutes so we can get ready.” Receiving Van Pelt’s acknowledgement, she put her phone back in the bag.

“So what did you think of our cousin Richard?”

“Hmm?” Jane was surprised for a moment. “Oh, yeah he’s not our guy.”

She rolled her eyes and put on her best Agent Lisbon voice. “How can you possibly know that?”

He motioned to Cho. “Don’t you think he was just a little obvious?”

She sighed. Of course, Red John probably wouldn’t be standing in the audience of the swimsuit competition looking like that. “Sure. He’s obvious, but he was sending off major creepy vibes.”

“Creepy vibes? Do you think Red John has creepy vibes?” She groaned internally at Cho’s questions.

She shook her head. “I’m not sure that he has creepy vibes, but it’s just a sense women get. You know, like fight or flight? That guy was sending major flight vibes the way he was glaring at the stage, like he was shopping for a victim.”

“Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t find something on him. Some sort of crime against women. He probably hates women. He’ll have blogs about it or whatever. I still doubt he’s Red John. It’s too easy, and he’s much too sophisticated to just stand in the crowd like that. He would at least blend in.”

He had a point, and she hated to admit that he was likely right. “If you don’t think he stands out, then what the hell are we doing here? How do we spot him?” Cho also turned his attention to Jane at that.

“It’s not spotting him; it’s smoking him out. He’s here. I can feel it, and I can sense that he knows we are here, too. It’s an observation game. Once we have him, we will see how obvious it was all along.”

“Do you have any other senses or thoughts right now?”

Jane shook his head. She could almost hear him thinking. “Nothing yet. I will let you know when I do.” She raised her eyebrows at that--sharing information was not something Jane had a good track record on. “Lisbon, please. I promise. I will let you know. Do you trust me?”

She placed her hand in his. “I trust you...but I need you to trust me, too.”

“I do.” He softly croaked out the words. 

“Good. I have dinner with the other contestants tonight. I’ll check in after I get back.”

“All right.” He grabbed Cho’s shoulder. “I guess I’ll have to go have a guys night out.” Both Cho and Lisbon glared at him. 

She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “Whatever you do, behave! I have to go get ready. You wouldn’t believe how much hairspray I have all over me right now. I’ll talk to you later.” With that, she parted ways with Jane and Cho.

Upon returning to her room, she shed her clothes, removed her makeup, put her hair up, and hopped into the shower. Getting rid of the layers of hairspray from her skin felt so good. Madeleine had another dress sent up for her that was short, strapless, ruched sides, and black with mini gold polka dots and golden stiletto sandals. It was clearly a night out on the town outfit. She slid into the tight fitting dress and sat down for a moment before getting to work on her hair and makeup.

Michelle emerged from her dressing room wearing a short, red sweetheart cut, A-line dress with thin straps. “Did your consultants put a ton of hairspray on you too?”

Lisbon could only laugh. “They did. I couldn’t wait to scrub it all off.” There was a knock at the door. “Oh, that’s probably my sister! I told her she could get ready with us.”

As she expected, Van Pelt was on the other side of the door. She hugged her when she saw her. “Get in here!”

Van Pelt came into the room. Lisbon noticed she wasn’t wearing heels that were very high, which made her smile remembering their conversation long ago. “Michelle, this is my sister, Darla. Darla, this is Michelle.”

“It’s so nice to meet you, Darla! Gracie has told us all about the baby! Congrats!” Van Pelt raised her brows momentarily, before she just went into a full smile. 

“It’s nice to meet you as well, Michelle!” Van Pelt extended her hand, but Michelle simply went in for a hug. “I hope you guys don’t mind if I touch up my makeup.”

Michelle shook her head. “Nope! We were just about to do ours. Your sister rocks! She’s been helping me with my hair and makeup for these smaller outings. I bet it’s just like how you guys used to do when you were younger!”

Van Pelt smiled. The two women really did have a similar nature. “Gracie has always been good at this stuff.”

“I bet she will curl your hair up really nice. Gracie, take care of Darla first!” 

“Sis, do you need me to take care of your hair, or are you ok?” 

Van Pelt took a second to think about it, pulling her bone straight strands between her hands. “If you don’t mind, would you curl it?”

Lisbon chortled, but likely not for the reason either one of them thought, as she patted the chair for her friend to sit in. When she had agreed to bring Van Pelt onto her team as a rookie agent, there were a lot of snide remarks about how she was probably just glad to get a female agent so they could braid each other’s hair. Boy, how that came full circle!

She curled Van Pelt’s hair, and then she took care of Michelle’s. It was like she had a little beauty station going. Within the hour, all three were ready to go out for a night on the town. 

Michelle and Van Pelt were chatting. She lifted her phone into the air, crouched like she’d seen many women do in photos, and snapped a selfie of herself that she promptly sent to Jane with the message: “Tonight’s look.”

As the three women made their way to the hotel’s restaurant, Jane responded to her message: “Tonight’s look is very, very good. I hope I get to see it.” 

Reading his words made her smile. He really knew how to leverage a compliment. She responded: “We’ll have to see, but only if you’re good.” As they reached their table, she slid the phone into her black clutch.

Kim was already waiting at their table. “You must be Darla! It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard good things! I’m Kim.”

The red head nodded. “Nice to meet you, Kim.”

Moments later, Erica and Lorelei joined them, so there was another round of introductions. Dinner was mostly girl talk with a few rounds of cocktails. Erica felt generous, so she agreed to pay for all of the dinner cocktails. Well, Erica bought enough cocktails that when Michelle started talking about going dancing, everyone thought it sounded like a good idea.

After a heated debate over the hottest clubs in LA, they decided to just stay in the hotel and go to its club. At least this way they wouldn’t have to figure out transportation. 

“You’re coming too, Darla!” Michelle half yelled that command, which made Van Pelt smile. 

“Of course, I’ll come out for a bit.” Sipping on her club soda the entire time, she was such a good sport.

The women made their way over to the club area--where Kim ordered them a round of shots immediately upon entering. She even made a point to get Van Pelt a shot of water. “There’s no reason you shouldn’t take part of this time honored tradition, too. Don’t let the little one stop you.”

Van Pelt laughed as they all threw back their shots full of some sugary nonsense that Lisbon just knew would be a mistake come morning. They found a table and ordered drinks and waters, but they really hadn’t needed to order anything. From time to time, someone would have a drink sent to their table, followed by an invitation to dance. Lisbon noticed that Lorelei sent most of her drinks back and refused to dance with anyone who came to the table, which she could understand. However, she hadn’t seen Erica or Michelle for a while now. Lorelei seemed rather detached and a bit lost without Erica. Whenever someone would try to engage her in conversation, she would give one word responses and immediately go silent once more.

Kim ordered a round of drinks for just the two of them since Van Pelt couldn’t drink and Lorelei had no interest.

“Waiter! Another round for me and this one right here!” Kim was always looking out for her, which made her laugh a little. They’d become fast friends bonding over some of the idiocy of their cohort.

Finally, Lisbon’s moment arrived. 

“Miss, this is for you from the gentleman at the bar.”

“Oh thank you. Do you know what it is?”

“It’s scotch.” That got her attention. She liked scotch, but it was a weird drink to send to a woman in a bar. Van Pelt nudged her under the table. She caught her attention and looked over to the bar.

“Fuck.” As she looked to the bar, she saw Ray Haffner raising his glass to her. She could feel the color draining from her face.

“What is it, hon?” Kim was the first to notice her reaction. She wished she hadn’t drawn attention. Haffner probably wanted to connect with her on the man they brought in this afternoon. She got wrapped up in getting changed and getting to dinner that she forgot to check in on the situation with the suspect. Besides, she was sure Jane’s assessment was likely right.

Quickly, she figured out something to say. “Oh, I just wasn’t expecting to get a drink from a guy. Finn doesn’t like it when other guys come on strong.”

Kim raised her eyebrows as she took a sip of her water. “I see. Do you want me to go handle him? I’m happy to be your wing woman. He’s a little handsome.” Lisbon snorted as she looked to Van Pelt whose reaction wasn’t much different.

“It’s fine. Just a drink.”

“At least he ordered you a scotch. You like scotch, right? Usually, they order that fruity nonsense that Erica made us drink. Send me a beer or a shot.”

Lisbon smiled. “You know, Kim, I bet we could clean up on a night out on the town.”

Kim quieted her voice a bit. “Oh, I don’t doubt that.” There was something about her voice that sounded a bit different. For a brief moment, she wondered if Kim might be flirting with her.

Suddenly, Haffner approached their table as the song was about to end. Lisbon steeled herself for the upcoming request as he leered at her. “Can I have this dance?”

Van Pelt glanced down, suddenly very interested in her phone--but she didn’t miss the younger woman shaking her head “no.” As bad as she wanted to send him away, she looked up at him and plastered the fakest smile she could muster onto her face. “Sure.” He held his hand out for her, and she took it, reminding herself this was just a cover thing. Just a check in.

He led her out onto the dance floor. She noticed he was wearing jeans and a nice shirt like he did when they had office parties. The song playing was rather upbeat, so it didn’t call for extremely close contact, which she was grateful for.

“Having fun?” She assumed that was a rhetorical question.

“If you’re asking if I enjoyed eating real food for the first time in days, then yes.” 

“Well, I noticed your audio device was offline. Again.” Ok, that was a pointed remark.

“Just having a little girl talk is all. I didn’t think I’d need to wear such an expensive item to dinner and drinks to have a chat about pageant gossip and evaluating men who send drinks to our table. How did you know where to find me?”

“Oh, is that what Rigsby and Cho were doing with you and Jane earlier? Girl talk? Makes sense.” He came behind her to dance and leaned into the crook of her neck to talk. She went along with it, but she really wished he had maintained some distance between them. “Yeah, I know they’re still here. You also took it off when you met with them. I’m pretty sure I saw Cho at the competition earlier. Just like I knew where to find you tonight: I am still a detective. You’re keeping secrets from me, Teresa.”

“I’m not keeping secrets.”

“They were ordered to return to Sacramento.”

“As far as I know, they decided to take PTO and stay and watch pageant events. We just had lunch together today. Sometimes, we eat as a team. Is that not something you do with your team? It might help your management style along.”

He laughed at that. “Management tips from you? The woman who can barely hold anything together on her own?”

She stopped dancing and whipped around. “What do you want, Ray? I know you didn’t come out here just to insult me. What’s up with this Richard Haibach guy you took in today?”

He waved his hand as though he was presenting the dance floor to her. “A dance? That’s what we’re doing right?”

“We are, but I came out here on the pretense that you had something pertinent you might want to share with me about the guy you apprehended today, not your insults and extremely close contact.”

“Reese…”

She immediately grimaced and interrupted. “Don’t call me that.”

“You’re a good dancer. You always have been. Can’t I buy a beautiful woman a drink and dance with her while we chat?”

As the song changed to some slow song that doubled as a ballad by 2010s standards, he pulled her completely into him so that she was flush to his chest. This wouldn’t do. She shook her head. “Ray, loosen your grip on me, please.” 

He sighed in exaggeration. “You act like I’m some sort of super predator.” Now, it was her turn to laugh. “What’s so funny?”

“With the kind of shit you pull on me, you have the audacity to say that? I carry a gun for a living! I can only imagine the shit you pull on women who don’t. I’d never call you that, but if that’s what you’re feeling, that’s on you.”

He tightened his grip again and laughed, but the look on his face was very dark. Even in this dimly lit dance floor, she could tell she struck a nerve. Perhaps she had gone too far, but she was in a public place. Neither of them would make a scene to compromise the op. She was banking on him not wanting to ruin the op that he had taken charge of, but of course, he’d blame her if it went wrong. “So that’s what you think of me? I care about you more than I should care about anyone, and that’s what you think of me.”

She sighed. “I thought we were going to talk about the case. Ray, loosen your grip!”

“Well, yeah. We will in a second, but I want to talk about this first. Do you think that I would harm you?”

She rolled her eyes as she attempted to put some distance between them again. Clearly, he wasn’t going to get over this. “Honestly? I don’t know. You tell me.”

He scoffed, again pulling her too tight to him. “Teresa, everything I do, and have done, in this case has been about keeping you safe from that lunatic Jane.”

She shook her head. “Don’t. Don’t bring him into this.”

“How can I not? You do the dumbest shit because he thinks it’s a good idea. I don’t know what he’s slipping in your coffee, but it’s mind control.”

“You ask me if I think you would harm me, and you flip this on Jane. I’ve never had to question whether he would harm me or lead me into a situation to be harmed. But you? You’ve tried it. You’ve done it. And we’re not pursuing Jane; we’re pursuing Red John. Last warning, loosen your god damn grip on me!”

“How the hell have I ever harmed you? Teresa, I care about you!”

“Last Christmas? How about all of the times you ridicule me in front of our colleagues? And did you honestly tell people I slept with you? That’s fucking disgusting.”

His grip tightened so hard on her arm that she was afraid it might bruise. “I’m not disgusting.”

For the second time that day, her fight or flight senses were threatening to kick in. “Ray, please loosen your grip. Please. You’re hurting my arm. You’re going to leave a bruise.”

“Why are you being such a cold bitch?” 

Even among so many people, she was starting to fill with dread. It was the entire fucking story of working for the FBI: don’t take up too much space; don’t make a scene; and don’t draw attention to yourself. 

“Ray, I’m…” She started to apologize. She thought about explaining herself, but then, she realized that she had nothing to apologize for and owed him no explanation. He was the one essentially holding her hostage and creating a toxic situation. Before she had time to form her words or place a stiletto directly into Ray’s foot to make her escape, he was suddenly on the floor. She had no time to process what had happened as someone grabbed her arm and was quickly leading her off of the dance floor and out of the club.

Looking to her right, she saw Kim was holding her hand and guiding her out. “What...what just happened?” Admittedly, she was lost.

“Darla filled me in on that jerk. He’s your ex?” Lisbon nodded, still in a state of shock. “It explains why he sent you the scotch. Honey, we’ve all had our share of deranged exes. I noticed you struggling to get away from him. She wanted to call your boyfriend to come help you, but I told her I could handle it. Get em from the right angle, they go down, and you get away.” 

She had no idea that her discomfort had been so visibly obvious. Suddenly, she felt quite embarrassed, especially realizing that Van Pelt was watching the whole thing and strategizing how to make him go away.

“Well, thank you. I appreciate it. He’s just a little handsy. He’s never understood the concept of no very well. I hope I don’t have bruises tomorrow.”

“Concealer will touch them right up.” Kim turned to face Lisbon with a look of uncertainty on her face. “Do you...want to call the cops? File a report?”

Obviously, that’s what most women would consider in this situation, on top of filing a restraining order against the freak. That was not an option here. “No, I just think he’s been drinking. I don’t want him to get fired from his job over it.” Really, she’d just as soon grab some gloves and take him on the mat.

“Sometimes, they need the wake up call. Losers.” Lisbon laughed at that.  
“Where are we going?”

“When we devised our plan to get you out of the club, Erica invited us all back to her and Lorelei’s room. We can finish our celebration there without the unwelcome eyes and hands.”

“Sounds good to me.”

When they got to Erica and Lorelei’s room, all of the other women, including Van Pelt, were there waiting. The redheaded agent looked incredibly tired. Lisbon decided she should either send her back to get some rest or she’d have to offer up the space next to her in her bed tonight, considering she’d likely stayed to make sure she was ok.

“Oh my goodness, Gracie! Are you ok?” Erica nearly knocked her down at the door as she came to hug her. Her seemingly genuine concern was a bit jarring. Though Van Pelt and Michelle were on either side of her, the latter rubbed her back in re-assurance. Once again, she found Lorelei’s dark beady eyes glaring back at her. “Darla told us what happened! Should we call the police?”

“Oh no, I’m fine! I think getting away was good enough.” This experience was quite new and different. Usually, she just went home and curled up on her couch.

“She probably wanted his attention anyway!”

“Lorelei!” Kim immediately chastised her. “Can you take whatever has crawled up your ass and go sit down?” Lorelei stormed off.

“Are you sure you’re ok?” Michelle was checking in now.

Once again, Lisbon took her roommate's hand and met her brown eyes. “Michelle, I’m ok. Everything is fine.”

“But what if he tries something again? Maybe you should make a report.” From Michelle’s tone, she could tell that her questions came less from a place of fear and more from a place of ensuring the ongoing safety of a friend.

“He doesn’t have the balls to do anything like that. He was just pushing the limits. Truly, I’m ok.” She gave Michelle a reassuring nod. “Besides, Kim laid him out on the floor and got us out of there! She’s the hero of the hour!” She looked over her shoulder and gave her an impressed nod. Michelle giggled at that.

“Yes, please remind me to never make her mad.” Erica, always quite the politician. “I think we should get some drinks going to celebrate being here together and being safe.”

Erica grabbed glasses from her cabinet, and each woman chose her own poison to slam back. “To safety and good times!” 

After their round, she pulled Van Pelt over to a corner away from the other women. “Why don’t you head out? You look incredibly tired.” She looked over at the younger woman who had been eerily quiet since her return. It seemed as though she was also trying to process what she had seen. 

“I am, but I wanted to make sure you were ok. Please…” She lowered her voice. “Please tell me you plan to report that. I would like to make a statement. It was terrifying to watch. I don’t care if that makes you think less of me. You were defenseless and I couldn’t do anything about it because it would’ve blown this whole thing. He has no right to hold an op over your head while he assaults you in real time.” 

Lisbon closed her eyes in contemplation. Van Pelt had a point. “I know…and thank you for trying to help. Kim told me what you did.”

“I didn’t do anything.” She could read the other woman’s frustration.

“But you did though. You solved the problem without blowing our cover.”

“I almost called Jane. That’s how desperate I was.” Lisbon laughed at that.

“Truly, I’m glad you didn’t. Those two in a fist fight on the dance floor would definitely catch someone’s attention here and at the office. It’s ok. Everything is fine. He was moments away from catching a knee to the testicles, but everything is fine.”

The other woman nodded in approval. “Did he at least tell you anything useful?”

“Not at all, but do you know how he knew where we were tonight? Is he tracking my phone?”

“I’m not sure. He doesn’t really share a lot of information with me.” That was unsurprising. He didn’t see Grace as a threat, but he also wouldn’t see her as useful to his operation. “But tracking your phone wouldn’t give him that level of detail on your exact whereabouts. You could be anywhere in the hotel. He had to be tracking you on the cameras.”

That sent a shiver down Lisbon’s spine. He was watching her. “That...would make sense. He knows Cho and Rigsby are still here and that we met earlier.” 

Van Pelt sighed and her eyes went wide. But before she could speak, a woman’s shrieking interrupted them. From behind her, she heard the sound of a gun cocking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little Jane light, I know! But he re-emerges a lot more the next few chapters. 
> 
> At some point, I realized that as much as I dislike Haffner, I started writing him like Paul Krendler from the Hannibal Lecter series. I think he has those same traits, but he's not THAT bad in canon lol. So forgive me if I've made him unbelievably gross. I just always found him terrifying.


	13. I Won't Give Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So how about those girls...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a little longer than normal! I sat on this for a while because I wasn't satisfied, but it's now or never time haha. Thank you so much for all of your kind words, follows, likes, and reviews. This chapter has a bit of POV shifting. It's marked, but keep your eyes peeled for it.

xxxx Kim’s POV xxxx

Dinner and drinks with her pageant cohort was honestly one of the best choices she’d made since this all started. She noticed the women around her. At first, she did not think she would get along with anyone, especially the petite brunette seated to her right. Gracie, easy going and just outright fun, was the by far the best contestant she had met here so far. Talking about basketball and things she enjoyed wasn’t an experience she expected to have here. Gracie just fit in and could hold her ground with people who could suck the fun out of everything like Erica. People just liked Gracie, even if she seemed surprised by their reaction to her.

Tonight was meant for bonding and celebration, but then that man showed up with a drink for Gracie. She could feel waves of uncertainty rolling off of Gracie, and she didn’t seem into it at all. That put her immediately on guard, especially when her sister was also ghostly pale at the man’s appearance at the bar.

“I see. Do you want me to go handle him? I’m happy to be your wing woman. He’s a little handsome.” He was a little handsome--if you were into that sort of thing. She was happy to pretend like the waiter had mixed up which woman he sent the drink to. After all, they had similar enough features. 

“It’s fine. Just a drink.” She still seemed incredibly nervous at the prospect.

Kim decided to try lightning the mood. “At least he ordered you a scotch. You like scotch, right? Usually, they order that fruity nonsense that Erica made us drink. Send me a beer or a shot.” Both women laughed.

Gracie’s smile reached her eyes. “You know, Kim, I bet we could clean up on a night out on the town.”

Kim quieted her voice a bit. “Oh, I don’t doubt that.” She would love to hang out with someone like Gracie. She wasn’t weird, and they genuinely had things in common. It was refreshing. Hopefully, they could be friends once this was all over.

Then, the man with salt and pepper hair came over. He walked with a smug swagger in his step, like he expected Gracie to immediately get up and follow him like a puppy dog over a glass of scotch. For that, she would have gladly thrown directly into his eyes for the satisfaction of the burn. After a moment of deep consideration, her friend went out to the dance floor with him while Darla followed them with her eyes, her face a mixture of terror and anger.

She decided a bit of conversation would go a long way to bring the woman out of her reverie. “So you’re younger?”

“Oh yes! We’re about 5 years apart.”

“That’s nice. I know Gracie has really taken to helping Michelle, so I’m sure she was a great big sister.”

The pretty redhead smiled as she continued to watch the dance floor. “Definitely! She’s the best, and she’s always been a great role model. I wish I could do something like this, but you know, baby.” She pointed at her belly. Kim laughed.

“Sometimes, life comes at you fast. So what do you do?”

“I’m a teacher. In Sacramento.”

“Oh, so you followed Gracie out to Sacramento?” The other woman looked a little confused for a moment as her eyes remained glued on the dance floor. “From Chicago?”

“Oh, yes. Gracie moved out here as soon as she felt comfortable leaving us to our own devices. I came not too long after. I missed being near my sister.”

“I know what you mean! I have two sisters. We fought like hell as kids, but now we’re as thick as thieves!”

She laughed. “It’s funny how that works out.” Kim looked to where the other woman’s eyes were trained. The man was dancing behind Gracie, with what looked like his hands on her hips, in a way that was obviously making her uncomfortable as she dodged his head in her neck space. Unfortunately, her initial thoughts when she spotted the man at the bar seemed to have been right on the money.

“I’m sorry I’m so distracted. It’s just that, and my sister would kill me for bringing this up, he’s her ex. He’s been known to be a bit...creepy. You know? Like showing up where she is? Ranting about her and just really freaking us all out?”

She hadn’t suspected anything like this might be troubling Gracie, but one thing really concerned her. “How did he know where she is?”

“That’s...a really good question.” The other woman half mumbled her response, indicating she wasn’t really sure either. Hopefully, this wasn’t a stalker situation.

They both watched as it looked like they started arguing. “Maybe we should go help her?” In her experience, men who harassed women usually backed down when approached by a group.

“I don’t know. I think I’m going to text Finn and have him come down. He can get down here pretty quickly. He can talk some sense into him and at least get him to leave her alone.” If only the young woman seemed like she even believed her own words, Kim might have gone along with that.

Kim snorted. “Please! We don’t need a man to diffuse this. I’ve got it.”

Erica and Michelle returned to their table, with their arms linked together and giggling. Apparently, the men who had invited them to dance were cousins. They invited them to sit with them for a bit. They sounded harmless, and it seemed like the two had a good time.

“Hey, Erica! That guy is harassing Gracie. I think we need to get out of here.” She pointed in their direction. All of the women looked over and saw the brunette trying to peel herself away from the man’s tight embrace. 

“Oh wow. She does not look comfortable at all.” Michelle’s face fell completely. 

Erica frowned. “Does she know him? Why is he all over her?”

“He’s her ex. He just showed up here, sent her a scotch, and demanded she dance with him. I don’t think that’s what she had in mind.” Kim pointed to where Gracie was definitely trying to get away from the man on the dance floor. Intervention was becoming crucial. There was no way she was letting her friend be dragged out of this club by this stranger.

“Ah! I see. Well, fuck him. The creepy ones are the worst.” Michelle looked scandalized by her word choice.

“I think we’re all squared up here. Let’s get out of here and try again another night.”

Erica waved her hand. “Don’t be silly! We are supposed to be having fun tonight. Why don’t I get some bottles, and you guys come up to our room? You’re good with that, right Lorelei?”

Finally, Lorelei joined the conversation. “Of course! I think it would be awesome if we did that. This isn’t really my scene.” 

Erica gathered her belongings. “Ok, girls. Let’s get out of here. Darla, you can come too!” The red head nodded. 

“Maybe I should wait for Gracie.” 

Kim patted the young woman’s shoulder as she met her eyes. “Don’t worry. We will be right behind you! I’m just going to grab her and go without causing a scene.” 

She seemed quite unsure of the proposal, but moments later, she caved as they all noticed how the situation on the dance floor between Gracie and her ex continued to decline. Honestly, if it was possible, the man looked like he might snap her in half. 

As the other women made their way out of the club, she waited a few moments. She knew she needed to intervene sooner rather than later, but she also wanted to make sure they were gone first. It made for an easier getaway that way. She gathered herself and marched out to where Gracie was on the dance floor, drew back her arm, and threw a punch directly to the side of his face. He wasn’t expecting it, so it took him completely off balance and dropped him. As he fell back, she grabbed Gracie’s hand and led her out of the club. Thankfully, they were out quickly enough that there was no big scene as people were still trying to figure out why there was suddenly a man on the floor.

“Darla filled me in on that jerk. He’s your ex?” The other woman looked completely shocked. “It explains why he sent you the scotch. He knew. Honey, we’ve all had our share of deranged exes. I noticed you struggling to get away from him. She wanted to call your boyfriend to come help you, but I told her I could handle it. Get em from the right angle, they go down, and you get away.” From everything she knew about Gracie, she was a little surprised by her response.

“Well, thank you. I appreciate it. He’s just a little handsy. He’s never understood the concept of no very well. I hope I don’t have bruises tomorrow.” From the way the other woman rubbed her arms as though they ached, she would most definitely have bruises tomorrow.

“Concealer will touch them right up.” She supposed she should get the million dollar question out there, so she turned to look at her friend. “Do you...want to call the cops? File a report?”

She immediately froze at the question. “No, I just think he’s been drinking. I don’t want him to get fired from his job over it.”

“Sometimes, they need the wake up call. Losers.” She laughed, which lightened things just a bit. “Where are we going?”

“When we devised our plan to get you out of the club, Erica invited us all back to her and Lorelei’s room. We can finish our partying there without the unwelcome eyes and hands.”

“Sounds good to me.”

She was happy to see all of the women were so supportive--except Lorelei. Talk about a tough nut to crack! After her little remark about Gracie wanting the attention, telling her to sit down and shut up was the nicest thing she had to say to her. Even Erica, who now seemed on the outs with Lorelei, could figure out how to be supportive when needed. As cold as she had run all night, it was surprising she wanted anyone to come back to her room.

After their shots, all of the women moved into the chairs situated around the room as Gracie and Darla went off to the side. Darla was clearly worried for her sister. It was clear. As she watched them, she heard Erica scream. She turned and saw Lorelei holding a gun, and then, she heard the click. Shit.

Gracie and Darla also turned around at that. Lorelei looked half out of her mind, which really wasn’t that off par with how she’d acted the whole day.

“Lorelei, what’s going on?” She heard Erica ask her roommate.

She turned the gun at her roommate, who made a yelping sound. “Shut. The. Fuck. Up! I am so tired of you! You and all of your perfect etiquette bullshit. If I had my way, you’d be first.”

“Hey, Lorelei.” Gracie chimed in. “Can you look at me for a second, please?”

“Of course, I can. He told me to make sure I mess up your face really well. He gave me a knife to take care of that. I am going to kill all of you, but I have to do you first to make sure it’s done the right way.” Erica gasped. 

Gracie continued to speak calmly and evenly. “Who told you that, Lorelei?”

Lorelei shook her head like the answer should have been an obvious one. In fairness, it’s always nice to know who wants you dead. “Red John.”

Gracie tried to push Darla behind her in a protective maneuver, but the woman would not budge. “Who is Red John?”

“Don’t move! He said you’d know him and to tell you that he’s truly sorry about this. You put your nose where it didn’t belong, and you should thank your boyfriend for this gift. He’ll probably be even more excited that I got your sister, too. Two for one.” Gracie’s face looked ghastly. 

“I got involved?” Well, as long as Gracie was calmly talking to her, she decided she’d just discreetly slide out of these stilettos. They hurt like hell anyway. How anyone could just walk around in these shoes day in and day out was beyond Kim.

“That’s what he said. You and your little boyfriend. What’s his name? Finn? He said to make sure you understand this is his fault. It’s nothing personal. It’s why he wants me to do your face after I kill you, so don’t worry about the pain.” Erica clung to Michelle tightly, looking at Kim with pleading eyes. She just nodded slightly at her. Hopefully, Erica could stay calm long enough for this to end.

“Lorelei, who is Red John?”

“Are those your final words? He said I had to tell your boyfriend your final words. I’m sure he’s hoping for something a lot better than that. You know, something a little sexy and sweet.”

Gracie tried to speak again, but their time was wearing thin. “I…why Lorelei? Why does he want me dead?” Her wide-eyed, but calm, friend seemed more flabbergasted than fearful at this moment. Whoever this Red John was wanted her dead for reasons she couldn’t, but wanted to, understand. Asking those questions instead of pleading for your life took courage.

“I already told you the answer, cupcake.” She waved her gun at Gracie. “Any final words?”

Kim had grown up in a religious household. As many young adults do, she lost a bit of it as an adult. Now, she hoped whoever was in charge was listening and that her aim was true as she screamed. “Hey, Lorelei!”

Lorelei turned towards her as she chucked her stiletto directly into her forehead. It turns out her aim was true as it hit and stunned her just enough for Gracie to leap and knock her down. 

xxxx Lisbon’s POV xxxx

From the corner of her eye, she saw Kim hurl a stiletto directly into Lorelei’s forehead. The woman was temporarily stunned, which gave Lisbon all the time she needed to jump on her and disarm her. 

“Get off of me, bitch! You have to die!”

“Lorelei, please calm down. Who told you to do this? It’s ok. You’re safe. Please tell me who asked you to kill me.”

“No! Get off of me. You have to die!” As she screamed, she suddenly remembered the part about Red John giving her a knife--almost a little too late as she saw her reach for it. She was able to slam her arm down hard, knocking it free. Van Pelt came forward and removed it. “Call for help.”

Lorelei might be under the influence of this murderer, but she was still just a slender woman. She was easy to handle. 

“Hey Erica!” Kim was trying to get Erica’s attention, but she still had a fearful look on her face as she clung to Michelle. 

“Who is she? Is she here to kill me?”

Kim got to her eye level. “No. No one is here to kill you, but I think it would help if you have something to tie her hands together. Darla called for the police to come. It won’t be long now. We just have to make sure she doesn’t try to hurt us again. Can you find something for me like a scarf?”

Erica nodded and got up. As Lisbon watched the two women from the corner of her eyes while keeping Lorelei’s arms pinned into the floor, it dawned on her that perhaps Michelle was the only person in this room who might be exactly who she seemed like.

Erica found a scarf that she was able to use to tie Lorelei’s hands as she continued to squirm away. She was so small and full of so much rage. It was hard to fathom how Red John had sunk his teeth into her to get to this level of rage. Thankfully, the police arrived quickly, along with Wainwright. She nodded at him slightly, but otherwise, they did not acknowledge each other.

They removed Lorelei, now in handcuffs but still wild eyed, kicking, and screaming: “I’ll kill you, bitch! You’re dead!” The police officers took all of their statements, which in retrospect, had to sound like the musings of crazed, drunken sorority girls.

After making a statement to Wainwright, Lisbon texted Jane to let him know what happened. Once again, she pulled Van Pelt off to the side. 

“Wow. Tonight really has been like the greatest hits of ‘what in the actual fuck.’” Van Pelt smiled sadly. “Are you ok? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

The red head shook her head. “You were pushing yourself behind me the whole time, and you were the one who tackled the crazy woman with the gun to the ground. Nice tackle form by the way. My dad would love it.”

“Three brothers.” Lisbon stuttered a bit. “I may have positioned myself in front of you to try to get into the best defensive position.”

“I’m pregnant, not in need of a human shield.” 

“No, you don’t need a human shield.” Truthfully, her agent didn’t need her protection, but when she saw Lorelei with the gun, her first thought was to make sure Van Pelt and her child were at least safe while she talked Lorelei down. It gave them time to formulate a plan of some kind.

Grace sighed heavily. “Boss, I’m sorry. This night has been a lot. If Kim hadn’t distracted her, we’d all be dead because I’m a dead weight.”

“You are absolutely not a dead weight! I’d never ask you to put yourself in the line of fire for me, pregnant or not. We were not in a good spot. The assist from Kim was the open window we needed. It’s teamwork, and it definitely makes all the difference in these life or death situations.” She seriously shuddered to think what could have happened if she wasn’t able to get Lorelei talking or without the assistance from Kim. “Did we ever get Kim’s background back?”

Van Pelt’s face went red like a child who had done something wrong. “Shit. I forgot to follow up!”

Lisbon waved her hand to reassure her. “Don’t worry. I think I know what the hold up is.”

“What?”

“What did you see when I dropped Lorelei?” Grace scrunched her face in confusion. She probably didn’t notice; Lisbon almost didn’t.

“Grace, she used calm and distract. I kept Lorelei calm while she distracted her. She did the same thing on the dance floor. Ray was distracted with me, while she calmly swooped in and diffused the situation.”

“Oh...oh!” Grace was following now. “They wouldn’t put another agent in without telling us, would they?”

“Well, look at her and Erica.” They peeked into the room. Erica was still as pale as a ghost as Kim worked to get her bounced back. She wouldn’t be able to sleep here tonight as CSU would want to comb through the room thoroughly. “Erica heard all of that, and she still specifically asked her if someone was here to kill her.”

“You think she’s a protective detail?” 

“Yes, she certainly has the training. She knocked Ray to the floor as swift as hell. I’m not even sure Mayweather can drop someone with that kind of swift grace. She just pulled me along and into safety. As soon as we were somewhere safe, she assessed whether I was ok and asked if I wanted to call the police.”

Grace hummed in agreement. “But she and Erica mix like oil and water.” 

“Difference in personality types might be the best thing for their cover. It certainly makes them less chummy. But for Erica’s immediate reliance upon Kim doing something in the situation, I might not have caught on.” In the back of her mind, she just knew that Jane probably would have figured it out upon meeting Kim.

Grace nodded along with that. “Should I reach out to Minelli and find out what he knows?”

“I don’t think so. I think it’s a separate op. If we were meant to be read in, we would have been.”

Van Pelt furrowed her eyebrows. “Boss, she was late for tea.”

“Yes, and?”

“Haffner sent LaRoche on a call out last night to go meet with coordinating agencies.”

Lisbon’s eyes filled with rage as she frowned. “Oh. Son of a bitch! He knew! I’m glad he passed along such useful information as he was groping me.”

Michelle came out to the hallway with them. “Are you guys ok? Is the baby ok, Darla?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Man, you guys were calm.”

“You weren’t so bad yourself! You kept Erica very calm.” Michelle displayed a lot of bravery in that moment. Most people would have completely lost their cool, but she kept Erica anchored.

She nodded and smiled. “Erica was terrified. I was too, but I remembered how you held my hand earlier. It helped, so I thought doing the same could help both of us. It’s been a crazy night.”

Lisbon’s phone buzzed. Patrick. “They won’t let me through. I told them I’m with you.”

“It’s ok. Go back to your room. I’ll be there in just a few minutes. I’ll explain everything when I see you.”

He responded quickly. “I need to see you, Teresa. Now.”

“Give me just a few to wrap up here.” Realizing what he needed to hear, she added: “Darla and I are fine.”

She switched her phone onto idle mode and returned to Michelle. “Hey, do you know if they’re going to let Erica sleep here tonight?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I think I am going to stay with Finn tonight.” If Van Pelt had the energy, Lisbon knew she’d be smiling like a fool at that declaration. Instead, she just looked on as though she hadn’t heard anything. “Would it be ok if she slept in our room with you? It might help her since you helped her during the incident.”

“It’s fine with me!” 

Then, they heard a bit of commotion down the hall. “Let me through! My girlfriend is in there, and I need to make sure she’s ok!” She recognized that voice. That was so not the same as returning to his room as she had asked! She should’ve known he would do the exact opposite of what she asked! She closed her eyes and sighed. Putting herself in his shoes, she knew she’d do the same.

“Sir, this is a crime scene. You cannot come through.” The uniform officer stood his ground, but if she didn’t intervene soon, he was going to learn a lesson they’d all probably come to regret on handling Patrick Jane.

“You’re going to let me through!” She sighed and located Wainwright.

“Excuse me, officer?”

Wainwright blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting her to make any sort of contact with him. “It’s agent. How can I help you, miss?”

“My boyfriend is trying to get to me, but the officer won’t let him through. Could you please let him through?”

“Well, that’s not exactly how we do things. We have a procedure, and we have to contain the scene.” The dark haired agent’s rather stern look let on that he had made a pointed remark to remind her that Jane really couldn’t be on the crime scene. Of course, she knew what procedure said, but he also knew that Jane should be let through as an FBI consultant. He had every right to be on the scene--in a way that didn’t totally blow their covers. Though, she decided to play this game by turning up her Gracie charm and pretending to be incredibly vulnerable.

She softened her voice quite a bit as she grabbed a bit of her hair between her fingers. “He’s just worried about me. Please? Can you just make an exception for him? I’d hate to cause any unnecessary commotion.” She emphasized that last part. As much as men fell for the vulnerable act, Wainwright was also very aware of the exact kind of thing Jane was capable of doing to get what he wanted.

“Let me see what I can do.” Apparently, whatever the dark haired agent did it worked because the ruckus stopped. Jane was at her side in seconds.

“Gracie! Darla! Are you ok?” He pulled her into an embrace as Wainwright looked on for a moment, shook his head, and walked away.

“We’re fine, Finn! You know, you didn’t have to come down here.”

“Of course I did! I needed to check on you two. What happened?” 

“I’ll tell you all about it later, but basically one of the contestants went crazy.” She noticed that Michelle was still in the hallway with them, looking at them with curiosity. “Finn, this is my roommate Michelle.”

Playing his Jane charm up to 100, he turned to Michelle. “Hi, Michelle. I wish we met under different circumstances.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Finn! Gracie has told us a lot about you.”

“Only the good things, I hope.” Michelle giggled. Jane truly had a gift for charm.

She noticed he hadn’t broken contact since their embrace. “Babe, I was just telling Michelle that I think it might be best if our friend, Erica, took my bed tonight. She’s probably not going to want to sleep alone. Do you mind?”

She could tell he was trying to decipher what she meant. “You want to stay with me tonight?”

She slid his hand inside of his. “I think that would be best...unless you had another girlfriend coming over tonight.” He laughed softly at that. She needed him to know that she was ok. 

Van Pelt smiled from ear to ear. “On that note, I am going to leave if I can. Wayne is going to pick me up soon. Will everything be ok here?”

Lisbon nodded. “I’m going to go talk to Erica for a bit. Sis, go get some sleep. You’re tired as hell. I can tell.”

“It’s not nice to tell a pregnant woman she looks tired, you know?” Van Pelt was being cheeky, which obviously Jane approved of as he grinned at her remark.

“Haha. Seriously, get some sleep. I don’t want my niece or nephew coming out sleep deprived.” Van Pelt nodded as she walked away. “Babe, can you give me a minute? That won’t be too much trouble will it?”

“Sure.” She could sense that he wanted to be closer, to figure out what was going on. It was hard for him to make any sort of observations without seeing anything. She reminded herself that he would be in the know soon enough. 

Michelle and Lisbon went back into the room and sat on Erica’s bed next to her. It was bizarre to see her like this. She’d gone from ice queen to a complete emotional wreck. Perhaps learning your roommate intended to kill you would do that to a person.

Lisbon put her hand on the back of Erica’s shoulder. “Hey, Erica. How are you holding up?”

“This is terrible. Why would she do this?” She looked into Lisbon’s eyes, completely bewildered.

“I don’t know. Maybe she’s going through some things now.” She met Kim’s eyes, and the woman’s brown eyes returned a knowing look. Obviously, there was going to be a conversation there, but not right now. “I’m going to go sleep in Finn’s room, so I think you should take my bed and get some sleep. Do you have some melatonin or something?”

Erica nodded. “I do. I have to leave?”

“I’m not sure. I thought maybe you and Michelle could stay together. Have a little sleepover.”

“Ok, I can do that.”

“Hey Kim, can she borrow some clothes?”

Kim nodded. “Absolutely.” 

“I can’t have my clothes?” Maybe Lisbon was punching above Gracie’s weight class right now, but Erica would not be able to take anything from this room, at least not tonight. CSU would want to comb through everything, and she noticed Jane take a sweep around the room as inconspicuous as possible.

“You can ask the officers, but I don’t think so. Michelle, why don’t you take Erica back to our room when you’re done? I’m going to go with Kim to get a few things to bring down for you ok.”

She motioned for Jane to come with them. “Finn, will you walk us to Kim’s room?” She put on a good show, like she was afraid to be alone right now. Well, most of it was a show. She’d barely had time to process her latest run-in with Haffner before having one of Red John’s minions actively trying to kill her. It was hard to say how she felt right now. The officers on the scene waved them through since they’d given their statements. As they approached the elevator, Lisbon asked: “So where should we do this?”

“My room is fine. I don’t have a roommate.”

“How’d you manage that?”

Kim shrugged. “I told them I had special needs and preferred a single.” Boy, was that an understatement.

As Kim closed the door to her room, she put up her hand to silence them both. Reaching into her side table, she pulled out an electronic sweeper to search for bugs. 

“Oh!” Jane could usually spot a cop from a mile away. He just hadn’t actually seen her until now.

Determining her room was clean, they all sat down. “Well, I guess it’s nice to officially meet you.”

She held her hand out. “Teresa Lisbon. Patrick Jane. FBI.”

“Kim Fischer. Marshal Service.”

Lisbon made a noise. “Didn’t know you guys did anything besides hang out at courthouses.”

Kim smiled. “We do. On occasion. When we have an asset who makes us agree to let her participate in a beauty pageant as her last hurrah before she’s fully transitioned into protective custody.”

“So you are Erica’s protective detail?”

“I am. You’re pursuing Red John?”

“Yes, which is why I assume Lorelei wanted to kill me. Am I allowed to ask why Erica needs this detail?”

“Let’s just say her tastes had her running with the wrong people, and that has endangered her life. From what we know, she has no connection to Red John.”

Kim pointed at Jane. “And this is your boyfriend?”

Lisbon raised her eyebrows. “I’m not sure that’s any of your business.”

Kim laughed. “It doesn’t matter. You just answered the question. Besides, I meant as your cover. I guess you guys are the real deal. You don’t just go sleep in your consultant’s room on a whim. Did you know I was here? Your handler was supposed to tell you. I met with members of your op last night.”

Lisbon laughed so hard that she fell back on the sofa, half unable to believe this turn of events and half delirious from exhaustion. “My handler is the man you knocked out in the club, and he didn’t tell me jack shit. Just wanted to know why I was being such a cold bitch.”

“What happened?” Jane narrowed his eyes.

She would have to catch Jane up when they got back to his room. “Later.”

“Oh.” Kim scrunched up her face. “Jesus! That was your handler? So what was that all about? Was he actively trying to break your cover?”

Lisbon put her hands in the air. “No fucking idea. Beside telling me how good I looked, he provided no useful information.” Jane’s eyebrows arched at that.

Kim looked at her in complete and utter shock. “And that guy is your handler, as in the one who is in charge of your safety? If I didn’t know you were a UC, I would’ve called the police and sat there with you while you filed the report. That ‘my ex is just troubled’ excuse is buillshit.” 

Lisbon nodded. “I’ve been told he’s in charge. I guess the excuse is even flimsier when they’re your handler.”

Kim sucked in her air and leaned forward. “It’s quite a thing when you have to be rescued from your handler. Do you guys seriously not have a harassment policy over there?”

Lisbon raised her hand in objection. “For the record, I could take him. Just not there on the dance floor to cause a scene and jeopardize the op.”

“I figured as much, which is why I stepped in. If he didn’t tell you, then how did you figure me out?”

She pointed to Jane. “He teaches me things about observation. I’ve always felt a different vibe about you. Even though your background check was delayed, I never felt like anything was criminally odd about you. I immediately recognized what you did with Lorelei. You have great aim, by the way. That, trying to soothe Erica, and the missing background check clued me in.”

“Well, those are good observational skills.” 

“Thank you. I try to impart my best skills and wisdom upon Agent Lisbon.” Immediately, she swatted his arm.

“Hush!”

“Now, that we’re on the same page, I don’t think we need to change anything. Do you?”

“Nope. Let’s continue as usual. Erica knows about me but does not know about you. Let’s keep it that way. My priority remains with Erica, but I’ve been ordered to assist as needed. And your sister?”

“Oh. Grace Van Pelt. She’s one of my agents.”

“She’s nice, and she’s a good agent. You know, she immediately came up with that cover story, had your back in the club, and was searching for strategies to extract you.”

Even knowing Van Pelt’s thoughts on the situation, she was still a little surprised that Kim had noticed her being so proactive. It also made her stomach churn that one of her agents had to formulate solutions to try to save her. “She’s one of the best. She specializes in tech.” 

Kim stood up. “Ok, well, I am here to support you. Let me know what I can do. I should get a bag down to Erica.”

With that, Jane and Lisbon said their good nights for the evening.

xxxx Jane’s POV xxxx

As soon as they arrived in Jane’s room and the door closed behind them, he immediately spun her around and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. They stood that way for just a few moments as he murmured into her hair. “I’m glad you’re ok. I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you.”

He felt her nod. She was quiet for a moment as she rubbed his back. “Thank you for being you.”

Not wanting to break contact with her, he slid his hand down her arm to take her hand and led her to the sofa in his room. “Are you hungry? Should I order something to eat?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“So what happened? Start at the beginning.” And she did. She told him everything from dinner to the club to the events in Erica’s room. Everything, every word that she remembered she laid bare to him.

When she finished talking, he sat in silence for a moment. He could kill Ray Haffner. He rubbed his face and tried to school his own rage in. She didn’t need to deal with that right now on top of everything else. “So the man who has anointed himself your protector shows up to harass you while you’re undercover without giving you pertinent info you need. Then, Red John shows up to kill you after you, well Kim, literally had to knock his ass into the floor for your protector to leave you alone. What a night! At least you look great tonight, I guess.”

“That’s right.” He noticed her staring at her hands like she was nervous he’d be upset with her. Not in a million years. 

He jumped to his feet, breaking their contact finally. “So just to get this out of the way, I’d like to pummel Ray Haffner.”

She nodded. “Me too. Van Pelt...saw everything. She’s shaken. Well, she was shaken by that before the other thing. It’s hard to know who’s shaken by what at this point.”

“I’d say so. So Red John. He specifically came for you. Why?”

“Well, like you said. He knows we’re here.”

“Ok, but he knows who you are. You said Lorelei mentioned her instructions were to mess up your face real good. Why would he tell her to do that?”

“I don’t know because I’m a beauty pageant contestant. It proves a point.”

“So are the other women. She said you were somewhere you don’t belong...it’s me. He knows. I don’t know how, but the son of a bitch knows about us.” Even he could hear the sound of his own voice crescendoing. 

She sucked in a deep breath. “I...but how could he know? We’ve been undercover. He can’t know for sure.”

He shook his head. “He’s figured it out somehow. The nail tech. She tried to paint your toenails red earlier.”

“Kayla. She’s Madeleine’s niece. Absolutely not. She’s clean.”

“So? Lorelei was clean until she tried to kill you all.”

“The red toenails thing is because I was wearing an emerald green suit. It’s the color wheel and completely innocent. I don’t think there’s anything there. Jane...Patrick, you’re fixating. Can you come sit down please?” She tapped the seat next to her.

He nodded. She was right. No one was above suspicion in a Red John case. Once he started turning over rocks, he wouldn’t stop. He took a seat next to her again. 

Teresa spoke again first. “Surely, Red John’s sole plan for this pageant wasn’t to kill a room full of contestants?”

“No, it’s too small time for him. If anything, you were the specific target. She said she was told to mess up your face. That indicates she was meant to get you alone. The rest….”

“What?”

“Well, she probably wanted to kill the others herself.”

“She wanted to kill four people in addition to the one who Red John ordered her to kill. Wouldn’t that put her at odds with him?”

“Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how he sees the kills. It’s probably something to whet the appetite for his finale. I mean, think about how withdrawn she’s been. Her comments to Erica? She’s surrounded by beautiful, powerful women and feels left out, or at the very least, like she has no voice.”

“That’s probably true. I just pegged her for a snotty beauty queen who feels like she’s lost control, not a deranged murderer.”

“No. Do you know where they took her?”

“I don’t. Van Pelt was with me, so I can’t ask her. Apparently, she isn’t in the loop of information any way. I think we will have to wait until morning to find out, and…” 

He noted her hesitancy to finish her thought. “What is it?”

“I should probably give Haffner space to calm down.”

“Why? He says he’s a professional and that he does everything for your safety. I’d love to know why it is that he was off licking his wounds when you were least protected. Maybe seeing his face black and blue will bring some calm to this situation.”

“I wasn’t unprotected though. Kim and Grace were there. We were able to work as a team to diffuse the situation. I didn’t need Haffner. I needed strategy.”

He sighed. “Teresa, you are beyond good at your job. I know you can handle yourself and that you don’t need Ray fucking Haffner to save you. I don’t trust anything about how he’s running this op. It feels sloppy. You didn’t even know you had Kim. We should send her a gift of some kind.”

She smiled at him. “I’m sure she’d appreciate it, even if it’s not necessary.” He shrugged. As worried as he was about the events of tonight, events that reminded them both of the exact stakes at play, he felt a flash of heat all over his body to see her smile once again. He took her hand.

“I’m glad that Grace and Kim were with you tonight. I don’t know what I would do if anything had happened to you tonight.”

“Me too.” Her smile faded. “Patrick, please tell me that you’re ok. That this doesn’t change anything?” In those brief moments after he received her text messages until he could actually see her, he had definitely considered all of the ways in which her proximity to him put her life in danger. To say he hadn’t thought about drawing back would be a complete lie. He couldn’t do this again. He couldn’t let people get hurt because he loved them. Was his love worth a death sentence? No, in those moments, he thought of the many different ways he could just detach himself. But detaching from Teresa Lisbon was not what he wanted. Not even close.

Burying his fears, he leaned in and kissed her. She deepened their kiss after a few moments. Surprising himself, he pulled her into his lap. He heard a slight yelp, causing him to break their kiss and search for her eyes. “I’m sorry. Are you ok?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled once more. “I’m fine. You just surprised me is all. So I guess this is how we answer all difficult questions?”

“There are worse methods of communication.”

She tapped his shoulder. “Sure there are, and you practice every single one of them.” 

He chuckled at that. “It would be a lie to say that when I got your text message that all of this was somehow my fault for not maintaining my distance, but you’re already in danger. The moment I became your consultant, you were in danger.”

She leaned her forehead against his. “I just need to know that you won’t pull away. I need you, too. You know that, right?”

“I’m here and not going anywhere.” 

“Good. I’ll connect with Cho and Rigsby tomorrow. I’ll figure out how we can get them into play a little more. You’re right. This is too sloppy, even for Ray. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I have no confidence in his op.”

“We’ll take care of that tomorrow...or later today as it is.” He saw a glimmering flash as she kicked her feet. “Don’t your feet hurt by now?”

She looked down at her feet and wrinkled her nose. “Mmmmm well they did, but then there was all of the adrenaline, you know?”

“May I?” It took her a moment to register what he was asking, but she nodded her consent. He reached over and began to unfasten her golden heels, rubbing each of her ankles and the soles of her feet as he lifted the shoe from her foot. “I do like that shade of blue. Good choice.”

She giggled like a school girl.

“What? Are you ticklish?”

“I just made an observation about you.”

“What observation is that?”

“Hmmm it’s probably better to keep this information to myself.”

“Is it then?” The shine in her green eyes as he continued rubbing her ankles, knowing exactly what she observed about him, indicated that she liked it. Frankly, it was intoxicating.

“A girl needs ammunition too.”

He was at a bit of impasse. She had asked to sleep in his room as a kindness to a very shaken up young woman. She’d had a hell of a night herself. Though none of that stopped the somewhat indecent thoughts he was having with her in his lap and her feet in his hands. He really should move her back to the couch. Maybe he’d sleep here tonight and let her have his bed. They just sat there for a moment before he could think of what to say.

“So if you want I can give you a shirt to sleep in?” He moved her back to the sofa. 

“That will work.”

“And I’ll sleep out here.” 

She turned and looked at him. “You...will sleep out here?”

“Yeah, you take the bed. It’s nice and comfortable.”

She blinked a few times and scrunched up her face. “Honey, you can actually sleep in your bed with me. You know that right? I wasn’t asking to kick you out of your bed when I asked to sleep here. In fact, it might be...a little more comfortable tonight.”

He could feel his heart racing. “Are you sure? I don’t mind sleeping out here. Nice comfy sofa.” In his nervousness, he patted the sofa. God, he felt like a schoolboy right now.

“Patrick Jane...are you nervous?” Busted.

“You asked me to trust you, and I asked for the same, so yes. A bit.” 

She arched her eyebrows at his confession and flashed him a devious grin. Licking her lips, she spoke. “And why exactly are you nervous?”

“Not for the reason you think.”

“That you want to sleep with me and are ashamed to desire such a thing on a night like tonight?” Busted again.

“Wow, you really take no prisoners, huh?”

She shrugged her bare shoulders, which looked beyond enticing as he remembered her reaction to his neck kiss just a few nights ago. “You could ask what my thoughts are instead of trying to figure them out.”

His mouth was so dry he could barely swallow. “What are your thoughts?”

She put her palm flat on his chest. “I’m here with you because there is literally no other place safer than here with you and no other place I’d rather be right now for that matter. I have the morning off. You could further explore your foot fixation. Make some other discoveries. I’d probably be ok with that.”

“Probably?” 

She nodded her head. “Within reason.”

“You are very good at teasing, Teresa. I’m going to have to get used to you being in my head.”

She laughed. “For a change?” She kissed him again.

He broke away. “But maybe let’s not start out here. Can I carry you to bed?”

She looked at him with surprise in her eyes. “You want to carry me to bed?” Instead of answering, he lifted them both from the sofa in one swoop as she laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.” 

There wasn’t a single light in which Teresa Lisbon wasn’t an absolute beauty, but nothing was as bright and hopeful as when she looked at him that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I've never written smutty fic before--but it is something I am open to trying. With that said, I am not entirely sure I want to ruin a perfectly fine multi-chapter with terribly written smut. So maybe just use your imaginations? Ha! 
> 
> Some of you had questions about Kim, so I hope this chapter helped bring some of those threads together. Same with Lorelei.


	14. Spice Up Your Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the likes and reviews!

xxxxx Lisbon POV xxxxx

Sensing the brightness of the sunlight peer through her eyelids, she flickered open her eyes. Their bodies were still tangled in the same spot where they fell asleep last night, only her back was now facing him and his arm draped over her bare breasts.

Their proximity felt nice and warm. Careful not to wake him, she reached to the nightstand for her phone. It was completely dead, but the clock next to the bed told her it was nearly 9 am. Of course she’d slept late after spending the night in his arms! 

She thought of waking him for another round. When she turned her head to face Patrick, she found his blue eyes looking directly back at her.

She scrunched her face and smiled. “Were you watching me sleep?”

“Yes. You’re beautiful. It makes for a pleasant morning view.”

She wanted to kiss him, but she was suddenly very self-conscious about how she looked and smelled this morning after a night out drinking. So she kept her distance. “Mmmm it’s a little creepy. Don’t you think? You could have woken me up.”

“I like watching you sleep. It’s peaceful, and you know, you don’t have to be so worried about your morning breath.”

“My what?” He shifted himself above her and kissed her as she put one of her hands through his luscious hair. He moved his arm from atop her breasts to start caressing her.

She flinched as his hand made contact with her left arm. He looked down and brushed a thumb over the purple bruise forming on her arm. “Damn him. Did I hurt you?”

“I’m ok.” The concern was etched on his face. “Are you mad that it’s not your mark?”

He smiled shyly at her, obviously getting her implication. “No. I’m mad that anyone would think they had the right to mark you in the first place.”

She knew he meant exactly what he said. Obviously, she’d get questions later as Zoey worked to cover those bruises. She found she cared little and less as they resumed where they left off. As he moved his attention to her neck, there was a sudden knock at the door. They both looked out to the living area. It’s not like they could see who was at the door, but neither of them expected a visitor.

“Finn, it’s Darla.” Ah. Van Pelt.

“Ok, just a second!” They both moved to get dressed. Throwing her a shirt to put on, he dressed quickly and went to the door. She was thankful for the shirt because she wasn’t sure she could put that tight dress back on just yet. 

She met Jane and Van Pelt in the living area. “Morning, Van Pelt.” The younger agent seemed rather energetic for such a late night, especially as she carried so many things with her this morning.

“Morning, boss. I tried calling you, but I couldn’t get through.”

“My phone is dead.” Van Pelt reached into her bag and handed her an external charger.

“Here’s some coffee for us and a tea for you.” She raised a white box that Lisbon identified before she even told her what was in it. “I’ve got donuts here.”

“Oh food!”

Van Pelt also lifted the pink Nike gym bag on her shoulder into the air and tossed it to her. She was glad she was alert enough to catch. “There are clothes in the bag for you to put on. Just athletic clothes and a pair of flip flops. Rigsby and Cho are downstairs waiting for me to give them the all clear to come up.” She groaned inwardly. Sensing her thoughts, Van Pelt continued. “I...I didn’t tell the guys that you stayed here last night.”

“Oh hey, so at least you don’t have to do the walk of shame.” Jane was grinning, clearly proud of his own joke among other things.

She glared at him. “Hush! It’s bad enough when women say that to each other.” She went into Jane’s room and got dressed in the clothes that Grace brought her. She was rather thankful that the younger woman had the foresight to bring her clothes in any case as she packed her evening wear into the gym bag.

Once she was dressed in the tank top and yoga pants, she shook her hair out and used the hair tie Grace provided to push it up into a bun on top of her head. She rejoined them in the living area again. She quickly grabbed her coffee and donut before Rigsby found and devoured her favorite. She took a seat next to Jane, folding her legs under her.

“Eating donuts? Like a caveman? Now, what would Madeleine say?” He pointed at her, quickly bringing his finger over to brush against her neck. Ah, yes. He was teasing her as was apparently his prerogative in the light of day where he had the upper hand.

“I don’t know or care. I haven’t had a donut in weeks. I’m slightly hungover. I am enjoying this donut and this coffee. I might even order more food.”

“Nice. I love a woman who can eat her entire body weight in a single meal.” She gave him the finger as he winked at her. Grace just smiled at them both as the guys arrived at the room.

“Morning, guys.”

“Morning, boss.” They spoke in unison. Rigsby and Cho had more bags and cases with them. 

“What is all of this?” 

Rigsby eyed her suspiciously before answering her question. “Well, Grace told us what happened last night with Haffner and with Lorelei and Red John. We thought it would be best if we get set up here and come up with a plan for the next few days.”

“We want to be more hands on in your security. Haffner is screwing up like we knew he would. Worse even.” Cho was direct as always as she furrowed her eyebrows, nodding in agreement. “Any fool can see that this isn’t an ideal situation, but Haffner is technically in charge. He’s pissed at everyone in this room now. His leadership is a bit shortsighted.”

Van Pelt eyed the cases that the guys brought in. “We have audio equipment and comms that are patched into your bracelet. Unfortunately, it’s going to take me some time to get back into the cameras from another machine. It may not be the best use of our time.”

“So, that means you will all be around on the floor?”

“Exactly,” Cho piped in. Clearly, her team had already conferenced before meeting with her. This was meant to be more an exercise in getting her approval and putting her mind at ease. “Now that Van Pelt has been introduced as your sister, she has perfect cover to be on the floor. And there’s another agent here?”

“Um, yes. Kim Fischer. We spoke last night. She’s with the Marshal Service. Her primary focus is protecting Erica Flynn, but she’s been ordered to provide us back up as needed so long as it doesn’t conflict with her objective.”

Cho nodded. “Well, Rigsby and I will be on the floor at all activities. We didn’t have time or the ability to create covers, but…”

Jane interrupted. “Red John knows we’re here. It doesn’t matter.”

“Also what we thought. Van Pelt will be in charge of making sure we are plugged in. She did something to her phone?” Cho looked to the redhead for her to continue. She both envied and feared Van Pelt’s technological capabilities.

“Yes, I’ve programmed my phone to do the same things that I could do from command. So I can also be out on the floor. Since I’ve already been introduced as your sister, I will maintain the closest contact with you.”

Lisbon sighed. “I don’t know, Grace. Are you sure? The closer you are to me, the closer you are to the line of fire.” 

Rigsby seemed to pick up on that. “Grace told us that you tried to protect her last night, but it sounds like you both worked together to protect each other just fine. It’s about the team work, like you always say.”

Van Pelt and Rigsby both looked at Cho, as though they were prompting him to speak. “Also, boss, we wanted to talk to you about something.” 

She swallowed her donut. “What is it?”

“When we get back to Sacramento, each of us will be filing an individual complaint against Haffner.” Her stomach dropped as she thought about what he was saying and why. “Last night was beyond too far. His behavior with you is disgusting, and he’s sabotaged this case. We understand that you might not want to file anything official, but we intend to report him. We would happily give statements on your behalf if you need them.”

She considered his words for a moment. “Guys...I don’t want you throwing your careers away for me.”

Cho spoke up. “We’re not. But you tell us we are officers of the law, part of a brotherhood. Well, so are you. Why are we protecting him and leaving you out to dry? Haffner can’t take a hint, and I don’t want to be involved in an organization where someone can act as poorly as he has and get away with it.”

“That’s all three of us, boss.” Rigsby added. “We’re a team. We’ve put up with this bullshit for too long.”

“We don’t mean to be out of order, boss.” She knew where Van Pelt stood on this subject already. “Or to put you on the spot. It’s just that we also have a duty to protect and serve here. Part of serving is our loyalty to you.”

She saw Cho look at the floor before speaking again. “Yeah, I’m sorry, boss.”

She furrowed her brow. “Cho, why are you apologizing?” 

“I should’ve reported the Christmas party thing.”

She shook her head. “No. I didn’t report it, and I didn’t want you to do anything to jeopardize yourself. I still don’t want you three painting targets on yourself on my behalf.”

Cho responded. “That doesn’t matter.”

She sighed. Of course, she’d end up with the one group of FBI agents that were loyal to a fault, so loyal that they’d all collectively fall onto a sword together. “You realize that he had you removed from this case, so any complaint you make against him will seem like it’s a petty complaint?” Something else dawned on her. “Wait. Van Pelt, why are you here?”

“He texted me and told me not to bother coming in. I imagine he’s embarrassed about last night.”

“He probably is. So who’s managing the tech at command, monitoring cameras and stuff?”

“Probably Wainwright.” She didn’t know a lot about the young man, but she knew that he wasn’t particularly tech savvy.

“Great! So no one who knows what the fuck they’re doing is on the inside? Rigsby, you obviously have something you want to say to me. What is it?” The gawking was getting to her.

“Nothing.”

She shrugged. “He’s frozen us out of this op, and we have no idea what’s going on. I don’t know who’s managing my security or who I’m supposed to call for backup. I’m completely isolated.”

“You’re not isolated. You’ve got us.” Patrick bumped her shoulder. She appreciated the contact and knowing he was there. He motioned his tea cup around the room. “I think that’s why your team is here this morning. Besides, I’m the best weapon anyone could have.” That earned him collective eye rolls, sighs, and grumbles from the group as he winked at her. 

Rigsby still looked like he had a question, so she waved her hand prompting him to continue. “Why are you wearing Van Pelt’s clothes?” 

The question knocked the wind out of her. Of course, he recognized Van Pelt’s clothes. Before she had an opportunity to respond, Cho spoke up. “Obviously, she spent the night here. They’re together now. Van Pelt came up ahead of us to bring clothes for her to put on so that she would be decent when we came up. You’re making this awkward.” Admittedly, not what she was expecting. The whole rapid exchange made her nearly spit out her sip of coffee, as Patrick smiled and Grace looked like she might fall over. 

“Oh...oh...sorry, boss. Good for you...I mean...I wasn’t prying…”

She cut off his awkward apology. “It’s fine, Wayne. What do we know? Anything new? What about this Richard Haibach guy? Or Lorelei?”

“I am not sure about Lorelei, but I did hear from Wainwright early this morning before I became Haffner’s latest fire. Haibach is looking good. For what, I don’t know. That’s all that Wainwright said.”

“It’s not him.” Jane called out. “He’s too obvious, and a man in a flannel shirt in the crowd like that? Too unsophisticated. You think that guy convinced Lorelei to do anything? No, his crimes against women would be against unsuspecting women, and I doubt he’d program them to do anything. He’d want complete control.”

Rigsby looked at Jane in disbelief. “All of that from seeing him in a crowd?”

Jane raised his hands. “Not just the crowd. From what Lisbon told me about Lorelei, that woman has been programmed to do whatever Red John wants. However, I don’t think the other women were on her list.” 

“She seemed happy enough to get the opportunity to kill me, too. And she had just met me.” Grace interjected as Rigsby rubbed her back.

Jane pointed at her. “Exactly! She isn’t opposed to killing. She probably didn’t take a lot of programming, but she is strong-willed. You’re going to find Haibach has problems with women. I guarantee it. However, Lorelei would be out of his league. She’d probably scare him even. She certainly wouldn’t look twice at a creepy guy like him. She’s a beauty queen.”

The group regarded Jane’s reasoning for a moment. “We need to try to get Jane in to talk to Lorelei. Van Pelt, do you think you can talk to Wainwright to figure out where she is?”

“I can try, but if Haffner has told him to freeze me out…”

“I know. If he has, I will try Kim…you know what? No.” They all looked at her expectantly. “I should...I should call Haffner.”

“No!” She received an objection in unison from Cho, Rigsby, and Jane, which made her close her eyes. They meant well, but they couldn’t just do a full end-run around Haffner. 

“Guys, I don’t want to call Haffner. I appreciate you being here. But eventually, he’s going to come looking for me. He mentioned how much I’ve been offline, and I’m fairly certain he’s watching me on the cameras.” Her last sentence made her hit a realization that made her stomach curdle. She rubbed her face and started pacing. 

“What is it, Lisbon?”

“He’s been watching me on the cameras. We figured that out last night when he knew where to find me. He probably knows I stayed here last night. He’s going to use that as ammunition against me--and probably the entire team.”

Jane came over and placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her pacing. “It’s fine. If he tries to leverage that, we will take it from there. You forget who you’re dealing with and who you have in your pocket.” 

She may have slapped his arm and rolled her eyes, but she could hardly stop herself from smiling at his thinly veiled innuendo. It turns out she wasn’t immune to his charms either. “We need to get you in to see Lorelei. I am going to have to go call him and do some version of making up with him.”

“If he’s smart, he’ll pretend like you have nothing to make up for.” Grace turned her head and glared at Rigsby. He caught her look, so he continued. “I just mean why would he push the point that he assaulted you? Especially in front of other agents.”

She felt her face form a dark smile. “Would any of the men we’ve ever brought in suddenly get bashful because they couldn’t create terror or some toxic environment they thrived in?” She didn’t know when it started, but she felt the warm wetness of her tears on her face and a pounding in her chest. 

Without a word, she turned and walked as quickly as possible to Jane’s bathroom and locked herself in there in hopes of concealing her embarrassment over her reaction to Rigsby’s words. Some truths are just too uncomfortable to put into words, and she finally found those words--in a room in front of her subordinates. They didn’t need a crying woman; they needed a leader. 

xxxxx Van Pelt POV xxxx

As Lisbon walked off, she turned to stare at Rigsby. She noticed she wasn’t alone in doing so as Jane and Cho were also glaring.

“I--what? I’ve never seen the boss cry before.”

Her temper flared. “Wayne, what the hell was that?” 

“I was just…”

She gritted her teeth to keep her voice down. “Just what? ‘If he’s smart?’ Really? The guy is a fucking predator. He doesn’t need your benefit of the doubt, especially as she tries to hold it together. You didn’t see her last night; I did. Do you know how terrifying it is to feel completely powerless? To have people know? Now, she’s cried in front of you and will doubt whether you respect her.” She could tell her point had landed as his eyes were wide with shock.

Rigsby looked to Cho and Jane who were both silent. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. Not like that.”

“I’m not the one who needs your apologies or support right now.”

Jane intervened. “Grace, why don’t you go talk to her? I think she needs to hear from you.”

She met his eyes. “Me?”

“You were there last night. You’re right. She would never cry in front of her subordinates. Well, at least not Rigsby and Cho. She wants their respect. You...you’ve seen her cry before. You’ve talked her through it before.”

“How do you…”

“I know everything. I knew about Baby Rigsby before you even said anything.”

She nodded, grabbed the donuts (with a noise from Rigsby) and Lisbons’s coffee, and she made her way to the bathroom. She knocked lightly on the door. “Boss, it’s me. Can I please come in?”

She could hear Lisbon chuckle from the outside of the door. “Are you the appointed representative?”

“You could say that. I brought donuts with me.”

Lisbon opened the door. “You really know the way to my heart, huh?”

Grace smiled at her boss, the woman she respected no matter what. “I guess so.” Grace took a seat on the side of the huge tub as Lisbon sat on the sink across from her, opening the donut box and picking out her next victim.

Grace started to speak, but Lisbon cut her off. “It’s ok. Don’t. I’m fine.”

“Are you saying that as my boss or friend? Because as your subordinate, I can sit here silently while you eat. As your friend, I have to tell you that sometimes Rigsby doesn’t think before he speaks, but that you have our unending support. All of us.”

“You’re having a baby with him.”

“Yes?”

“Are you ready for a lifetime of secondhand embarrassment?” 

Grace laughed. “I suppose I’m used to it. The question is: are you? You’ve got Jane.”

Lisbon returned her smile. “Touche.” She paused and looked down at the donut in her hand for a moment. “I didn’t mean to start crying like that. I’m not sure what came over me. Usually, I can hold it in much better.”

“It’s ok.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I promise it’s ok. You’ve been through a lot. It sounds like you...hit a realization.”

“I guess. It’s not the first time I’d thought about whether I was more worried about him or Red John, but do you know what he said to me?” Grace shook her head and waited for her to continue. “After telling me how much he cared about me, he asked me why I was being such a cold bitch for asking him to let me go, for challenging him. All I could think of was the women I’d interviewed when I was with SFPD. I started to panic, thinking the only way I’d get away from him was to go somewhere alone with him and calm him down because I couldn’t create a scene. And then what? Wouldn’t he have the upperhand if we were alone and I was unarmed with no way to call for help? Would it even matter if the FBI would just blame Jane?” She sniffled again.

Grace got up and went to stand next to her. She started to rub circles in his back. “Me, Cho, and Rigsby are FBI too. We know it’s not Jane’s fault. Haffner is a pig.”

“I’ve arrested men like him, and that scares the hell out of me. Kim was in total disbelief that he was my handler. As she put it, I had to be rescued from my handler. How can I trust him? How can I trust anything?”

“Did you know I had to stop Rigsby and Cho from tracking him down last night?” She could see her boss looking at her through her tears. “I told Rigsby, and as soon as we returned, we sat and talked to Cho. They were ready to go find Haffner and beat the shit out of him.”

“That would’ve been the worst possible thing. He’s probably angry enough already. He probably thinks I hit him. Besides, Jane would have joined them. That’s just too much chaos at once.” 

“We’d find him buried in some obscure location in 3 or 4 years.”

“Buried? With Jane involved?” Both women laughed darkly at that. It was good to see her laughing at least.

Lisbon took a few of her loose, red locks between her fingers. “Your curls fell.”

“Yeah, I brushed my hair last night. Wayne thought my hair was cute.” The dark haired woman on the sink laughed. “What is it?”

Her expression darkened before it lightened again. “Do you know last night when I laughed before I curled your hair?” She nodded. “When I selected you for my team, there were a lot of sneers and jokes about how I’d chosen you so we could sit around braiding each other’s hair. I always thought it was because they took me less seriously. Some male agents didn’t want to work with me. Cho was the first to join my team and not have any problems working for me. Now, I’m pretty sure it’s that they think I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“That’s their loss then. You’re a great leader. Wait. You can braid hair? I didn’t know that was an option.” Lisbon laughed again.

“I can. Let’s see what happens at our next top-secret FBI ladies club meeting.” Lisbon’s phone vibrated in her pocket. “Oh! It’s Michelle. She, Erica, and Kim are going to go do a Pilates class in 30 minutes. They want us to join them and grab brunch downstairs before getting ready for the rehearsal. Do you want to go?”

“I need to get the equipment setup. Would you be ok if I didn’t?”

“Sure! Get everything set up. I still need to touch base with Haffner some time today, but I’m not ready for that call yet.”

“I think that’s fine. I will call in later on, just to see if they need me. Maybe I can lean on Wainwright to tell me where Lorelei is.”

“If not, I can see what Kim can find out. It’s not her op, and I’d feel bad going out of the FBI to get info on our own case. Jane needs to get in to talk to Lorelei sooner rather than later. Any info he can gather will help us figure out who the hell we are looking for.”

“Ok, I’ll lean on Wainwright. Are you going to be ok?”

Her boss nodded at her. “For now, yeah. Please don’t be mad at Rigsby. He didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just me, you know?”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“Ok, I better go get ready and meet up with the girls. If you want, you can join up for brunch. Should I text you when we’re going?”

“Sure.”

As they made their way out, Grace noticed how Lisbon worked to regain her composure and reassert herself. She needn’t worry though; she was always their well-respected boss in their eyes.

“Ok, I have to go meet up with the contestants for Pilates and brunch before rehearsal. You guys get set up. Rehearsal is at 3. It’s a full run through, and I don’t know how long that will be. I will catch up with you all after that. Jane, Madeleine’s at 12:30?”

“Sure thing.” He walked up to her and lifted her chin. The look between them was so electric, so intimate that it almost seemed like they shouldn’t be looking. The intensity between them was nothing new, but their new relationship status changed the dynamic a bit. “Are you going to be ok?”

“I am. I’m fine. We have a job to do.”

“We do, but we’ll talk later?”

“Yes.” She squeezed the wrist of the hand that held her jawbone before grabbing the bag with her clothes.

“Hey boss, I’m sorry.” Lisbon turned and looked to Rigsby. 

“Come here.” As he approached, she hugged him. They both looked super uncertain about the hug, but it was definitely an act of healing on both of their parts. “It’s ok. I’m not mad.”

“But I’m sorry for real.” She patted his back before letting him go.

“It’s fine.”

As Lisbon moved toward the door, Jane caught up with her. This time, the other three agents busied themselves as Jane and Lisbon prepared to part ways. She could hear Jane telling her boss and friend: “Have fun. Remember that you’re leagues ahead.” She also saw him kiss her softly out of the corner of her eye.

Indeed, not much had truly changed within their team. Yet, everything had changed. It was in this eye of the storm that the team got to work to put their plan into action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might seem like filler, but I promise it's not. I had to cut this chapter in half because the second part (chapter 15 now) is so long. I wanted to explore a little Jisbon in the morning and some more team moments.


	15. Mad Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your continued support for this fic! What started out as a fun story (and I hope it still is) got worked through some of the darkest places in my brain, and now we are here!

Exercise was always great for the mind and body, especially after moments of great stress, but after drinking? All exercise felt like death. Being there with the girls took some of the pressure off because they didn’t expect her to be an athlete extraordinaire. In fact, they were all moving a bit slow. She even saw Erica hit the mat a few times. She certainly was not coordinated.

As soon as their exercise class ended, Kim yelled out: “Brunch! Please!”

As Lisbon wiped her face down, she heard Michelle laugh. Erica was back to a rather reserved mood. She merely mumbled, “Well, then, lets go.” So the four of them, clad in their workout clothes, made their way downstairs to get brunch. 

“I’m also starving.” Lisbon left out the part that she’d already eaten a few donuts this morning because she was actually hungry. She’d be glad when all of this was over and she could get back to her normal diet without external pressure.

First thing was first, the women ordered a round of waters and coffees. “What a crazy night!” Michelle was clearly ready to talk about last night.

“Yeah, it could have been a little less crazy. I just wanted to celebrate.” Erica sipped her water. 

“Same here.” Lisbon said as she gave Erica a reassuring smile. Kim remained quiet.

“Gracie?” Michelle was looking directly at her.

“Hmm?”

“How are you doing? Did your ex try to contact you again after last night?” Kim looked up at that question.

She shivered involuntarily. “He has not tried to contact me.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you. Are you sure you don’t want to contact the police? I’ve read that’s the best thing to do in this kind of case. If he’s stalking you, it could escalate. The police can help you.”

“Unfortunately, I think that would just piss him off more. He’s generally a good guy when he’s not drinking. He came here last night, thinking he could get me back. He and Finn have a lot of bad blood.”

Erica sat up straighter, clearly interested in this part of the story. “Oh? Did you leave him for Finn?”

Shit. She hadn’t considered that fielding that question. Mustering up all of the skills she still had from that college improv class and Patrick’s encouragement to keep lies as close to the truth as possible, she answered. “It...things were over between us before they even got started really. Ray just never wanted to accept it. It got worse when he found out about Finn. He said that no one could care for me the way he did. He pulled out all of the stops to get me back, even a marriage proposal. I just wasn’t interested. Finn is a great guy, and he’s shown me so much love and all of the good that exists in the world. From time to time, Ray just shows up and tries to convince me to come back to him.”

“So he has been following you and inserting himself in your life? Because I’ve read…”

“You know, Michelle, it’s not uncommon for exes to not let go, especially if they think they can prove themselves. I don’t know that whatever pop psychology books you’ve been reading are applicable here. Besides, no need to worry Gracie even more.” While she appreciated Kim’s intervention and getting the conversation moving elsewhere, she was a little harsh on the young woman who delivered an assessment they both knew they would give in a similar situation.

Michelle lowered her eyes in shame. “I didn’t mean to frighten you, Gracie. I’m just worried. That guy was an absolute creep. I’m glad Kim came up with a plan though. You were awesome!”

She noticed that Kim played with her water glass. “Thanks, Michelle! You read interesting books.”

Michelle scrunched up her face. “I’m reading Pride & Prejudice right now.” The other women laughed.

“Well, all of this what? Self-defense stuff that you’re reading? When did you read that?”

“Oh, well I took courses on violence against women in school. I wanted to be a victims’ advocate.” Lisbon noticed how she bit back the part about wanting to be an FBI agent. Clearly, she wasn’t comfortable enough to say that to the group at large. However, Kim nodded her approval.

Michelle stood up and looked around. “If you will excuse me, I will be right back!”

“Oh, are you going to the ladies’ room? I think I will join you.” Michelle nodded. Kim’s eyes met hers for just a brief second.

Erica placed her hand on top of hers, and she looked up and met her brown eyes. “You were very brave last night.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you saved all of our lives. I didn’t get a chance to thank you.”

“It was nothing. I just remembered football with my brothers. I couldn’t let anything happen to Darla and her baby. Lorelei was clearly off her rocker.”

“Whatever it was that you did, it stopped her. I just...I never saw that in her, you know?”

She sighed. “Erica, none of us did. When a person is like that, they usually don’t show themselves until the moment they want to reveal themselves.”

“I mean, she seemed so happy.”

“She did? She never really talked to me very much.”

Erica chuckled drily. “She never talked to anyone very much. She usually gave one word answers here and there except when she mentioned her loverboy.”

This was an interesting development. “Her loverboy?”

“Mmmhmm. That’s what she called him. I’m not sure which one, but it’s either Mr. Bertram or Mr. McAllister of the Miss America Organization. She never told me which one, but I figured it out based on when and where she was disappearing to. She’s been dating him for a little while now. She said it was supposed to be top secret, but she was so excited because the man was taking her places. At least that’s what she said. He probably caught on that she was crazy and broke things off.”

Lisbon blinked rapidly. “They were dating? Isn’t that like against the rules?”

“It’s why she wanted to keep things quiet until they could take off.”

“Take off?”

“Yeah.” Erica looked around them and leaned in even closer. “So she told me this, but it’s top secret. You can’t tell anyone. Apparently, they had talked about moving somewhere tropical when the pageant was over.”

“Moving? That seems a little fast. Doesn’t he run the pageant?”

Erica swallowed a sip of her mimosa before giggling. “Not anymore.” Lisbon looked on in stunned silence as Erica continued. “They are both being fired from the organization. The Board of Directors want new blood running the organization and pageant.”

“Marcus.”

Erica nodded. “Yes, they want to promote Marcus to Pageant Director. They appreciate his demeanor--and probably his age and attractive nature--a lot more.” Lisbon nodded along, suddenly recalling the rather tense looking conversation McAllister had with Marcus the other night.

She shrugged, trying to think of how to keep the conversation flowing as her head suddenly swam with new information. “Well, I guess she’s not moving away with him anymore.”

“I guess not. I wonder if he even knows what happened.”

Lisbon shrugged as Kim and Michelle returned. Erica readjusted herself to sit up straight. Throughout the remainder of brunch, Lisbon continued to mull over Erica’s words, remembering the conversation she had with Madeleine a few days ago. Something didn’t feel right about it. She made a mental note to get with the team as soon as she could.

Midway through their meal, her phone started buzzing nonstop. Finally, she pulled it out to see several missed calls and messages from Van Pelt.

The message read: “We’ve gotta go see our Uncle. All of us. Now.” 

She responded. “Ok. Give me a few minutes. I have to meet with Madeleine soon.”

“Madeleine was told to report, too.” Oh God. Haffner. Joining Erica’s story, her head was now swimming with reasons why Ray Haffner would demand their presence at command this morning. She wasn’t ready to call him, and she wasn’t ready to see him again in person yet. Her heart fell to the bottom of her stomach. If she hadn’t already finished eating, she wouldn’t be able to finish now.

“Ok, I will come find you in just a few minutes. Let me make an exit here.”

“I will be in the lobby. Jane is already here.”

Putting her phone face down on the table, she let the other women know she needed to go meet up with Darla and Finn for a moment and that she would be back for rehearsal.

Patrick and Grace were waiting for her in the lobby area. He placed his hand on her lower back as they walked out of the hotel. “Do either of you know what’s going on?”

Van Pelt answered. “No, but Haffner started blowing up my phone saying to get to command now and to bring everyone who’s supposed to be here and not be here. I just told him we would be there in 20.” 

Cho and Rigsby were already in the SUV waiting for them as the three of them slid into the backseat. Her heart was racing. She did not have a good feeling about this. Sitting between Grace and Patrick, she felt him reach for her hand, which she slid into his for the remainder of the car ride. As they arrived at the command center room, she did her best to calm her nerves, remembering that at least they were all there together.

As the door opened, she saw Madeleine already sitting inside. Though, it surprised her to see who had opened the door to allow them entry.

“Agents, thanks for joining us. I’m glad to see you all, even some of you who aren’t even supposed to be here anymore.” In the years she had known Virgil Minelli, she’d come to expect the barbed comments he could make when he was in a state of barely contained frustration. She made eye contact with Rigsby and Cho and sent a silent prayer that they would let her do the talking. “It would seem that Agents Haffner and Lisbon have apprehended the man we believe to be Red John. Congratulations, agents.” She raised her eyebrows.

“This Haibach guy?” She hadn’t prayed for Jane to stay quiet because she knew that was a futile effort. She didn’t even try.

Haffner, who had a small shiner from where Kim’s fist connected with his jaw, answered. “Yes, he’s Red John.”

“What proof do you have?” 

Haffner scoffed before proceeding. “He’s guilty. He’s been linked to several women who’ve gone missing.”

Jane pushed back. “But no evidence of the terrorist activity? Past victims?” 

“It’s him.”

“What did he say in the interrogation?”

Haffner ran his hand through his hair, growing agitated. “Nothing much. What’s with the 21 questions? We caught him. Me and Lisbon. Just because we used good old fashioned detective work instead of the tactics of a mad man doesn’t mean it’s not him.”

“But he’s saying nothing? A guy like Red John would never stop talking, trying to convince you how smart he is. And what about Lorelei?”

Across from her, she saw Wainwright lower his eyes, looking incredibly uncomfortable. “She’s dead.”

“What? How?” She wasn’t totally surprised. “Wasn’t she in protective custody?”

The dark haired young man looked uncomfortably to Haffner, who shrugged his shoulders. “Agent Haffner didn’t approve her placement into protective custody.”

Her temper flared as she made direct eye contact with him for the first time that day. “Why not? Red John’s helpers end up dead, either by their own hand or someone else’s. It could’ve been helpful if we could’ve questioned her.”

Haffner answered. “Well, didn’t you talk to her last night? She wasn’t much help was she?”

“That’s besides the point, and you know it. We should’ve placed her in protective custody. That’s our protocol. If Jane could’ve spoken to her...”

Haffner scoffed loudly, “What does it matter? One lunatic is dead, and her partner is in custody. I don’t need Jane to tell me that.”

“It’s not him.” Jane spoke up just above a whisper. To some it may sound like he was uncertain, but she could sense he was trying to suppress his anger.

“Oh, I forgot you’re a psychic. Please tell me more.”

As many Red John cases as they’d worked over the years, Jane’s eyes held an anger she’d never seen in him before. Before he could say, or do, anything, she thought she would try a different approach. “Agent Haffner, I think what Jane is pointing out is that Haibach makes little sense. Lorelei’s association with him makes even less sense. And based on what I learned this morning…”

“What you learned this morning?” 

“Yes, I went to brunch with the other contestants, and Erica gave me some information about Lorelei. She may have been involved with either Gale Bertram or Thomas McAllister. We need to check them out.”

Haffner laughed. “Why? Haibach isn’t cute and rich enough to be Red John? Did one of your friends break a nail? I can’t wait to hear what a bunch of little pageant girls think.”

“Women. We are women, Haffner. And if you’d let me…”

“I’m just saying. Gossip is not evidence of something foul.”

“If you’d let me finish a god damn sentence, you would know what I have to say, but I get the distinct impression you don’t care. Little pageant girls couldn’t have anything valuable to say, right?”

“No, Teresa. I don’t care. Once again, carnie freak is in your ear feeding you bullshit that you’re just all too eager to lap up.”

She could feel her chest tighten. Every shred of anger and frustration she had felt over the course of the last few months was bubbling to the surface. As she spoke, her words felt airy and light. “I feel like we’ve had this conversation before, but in case you need a reminder, I’m your equal. So while this may not be the height of professionalism, fuck off, Ray.”

“Agents!” Minelli attempted to intervene too little too late.

“You have no interest in working together or hearing out any viewpoint or information that doesn’t fit your theory. Do you really think if it was this easy to catch him we wouldn’t have figured this out in a few days and saved countless lives?” She could practically feel her heartbeat between her ears.

“Honestly, I don’t know, Teresa. Jane loves following after you, or leading you around, however it works with you two.”

Jane had the darkest of expressions on his face as he laughed. “Either you really don’t want to catch him for a variety of reasons that could include you working for him or you’re just a fucking moron. And I only have a slight interest in determining which it is because all roads lead to you being worthless. You want to be hailed as a superhero, but you’re really just a weak, useless little man.”

Haffner was seething. “Shut your pet up, Teresa.” Before she could get in a word, he continued.

Jane moved in closer to Haffner as she extended her arm in front of him. “Oh there it goes, you think if you’re a hero you could finally have the woman of your dreams. She’d just fall into your arms, but no. I don’t imagine many women like to be condescended and abused by a second rate man.” Jane laughed again as she looked at him with pleading eyes to stop. “You like to call me a carnie freak or whatever other pedantic, childish word you can think of. Well, I might be a clown, but you’re the whole damn pathetic circus, pal.”

Jane moved away with very cold looking eyes, as she heard someone in the room trying to stifle a laugh. She looked at Minelli who was simply gawking at both men. Haffner was fuming, but it was rather obvious he was trying hard to be on his best behavior in front of the boss. This way, he could later gaslight every complaint they had about him and this operation. He’d make this their fault by saying Jane was clearly uncooperative or he had a grudge against him that he’d convinced the team to take up as their own crusade.

Minelli finally intervened. “Jane, what makes you so certain this isn’t Red John?”

“He’s too unsophisticated, and it’s all a little too neat. Don’t you think? Besides, why was Lorelei attacking after the man was in custody already?” Jane’s eyes connect with her own. “And what did you learn at brunch, Lisbon?”

“Erica told me that Bertram and McAllister are being fired from the Organization. This is their last year. Lorelei was romantically involved with one of them, and that’s most likely how Red John was able to convince her to do his bidding last night.”

“Miranda.” She heard Madeleine gasp. She’d forgotten her consultant was even there. Other than Jane, it was unusual to have civilians present at these sorts of meetings. And boy, was she getting quite the view of the inner workings of the FBI today! “McAllister was with Miranda, my former contestant.”

“Boss, this can’t be coincidental. Either of those guys is in a prime position to recruit women like Miranda or Lorelei to work for them. It makes more sense than Haibach.”

Minelli considered her words for a moment. “Agent Haffner, why have you concluded Haibach is Red John? Perhaps tell Agent Lisbon what you found.”

“He had a woman stuffed away in his house. He’d been abusing her. He’s a real sick bastard.”

Jane interrupted once more. “Again, he’s guilty of something. I give you that. He’s Red John. It doesn’t fit.”

Minelli sighed. “Jane, I’m not inclined to agree with you. You are constantly chasing any and every shadow you can to turn over Red John, seeing things that aren’t there and creating messes that we later have to smooth over.”

Lisbon intervened. “Boss…”

“Oh no, let me finish, Agent Lisbon. I want my words to be crystal clear to you since you have a hard time understanding my orders and directives.” Her stomach fell. She couldn’t believe Minelli was falling for this hook, line, and sinker. “Haibach looks very good for this. Unfortunately, we can’t ask Lorelei Martins. She’s dead. I am satisfied that what you and Agent Haffner have found here is the man we know as Red John. I don’t agree with Jane’s assessment that he would be talking. Why would he talk to us and tell us everything?”

She could see Haffner’s shit eating grin on his face. How he managed to twist things and win this argument, she would never understand. “Sir, we don’t have any confirmation. Also, Red John has always been about the flash. He would be telling everything he’s done, especially when presented with the fact that we have concrete proof that we know it’s him.”

“Nor will you get confirmation because it’s not him.”

Minelli continued. “We are continuing to interrogate him. I’m sure it will come out. We have to respect the process. Now, as for you, Agents Lisbon, Cho, Rigsby, and Van Pelt, I am highly disappointed in your actions on this case. I sent you here and told you that you needed to work together.”

Here comes the blow. “Sir, if I may explain….”

“Do not interrupt me, Lisbon. You are already in deep enough shit as it is. I’m not interested in these little he said-she said stories. Whatever has transpired here has caused a deep rift amongst you all. I asked if you could control Jane. You said yes, and he promised to be on his best behavior. I ordered Cho and Rigsby back to Sacramento, and you permitted them to stay on in violation of my direct orders. This is an absolute mess.”

“Sir, she didn’t order us to stay on. In fact, she didn’t know we’d violated a direct order until much later. At that time, she directed us to follow your orders and return to Sacramento.”

“Oh? Well then, Agent Cho, tell me: do you and Agent Rigsby just not respect her orders, my orders, or any orders at all? What is the truth?”

Lisbon shook her head. “Boss, that’s not true. Any actions that Agents Cho and Rigsby took should be laid at my feet.”

Rigsby and Cho were clearly in disagreement as they started to speak. She glared at them to remain quiet.

“Don’t worry, Lisbon. Like I said, there’s more than enough shit to go around here. All four of you will be getting official reprimands in your files. You’re lucky I don’t push you directly through to OPR.”

Jane scoffed aloud. “Reprimands for what? Doing their jobs?”

Minelli turned on Jane. “And you! You are much more hassle than you are worth.” Oh, Haffner’s look of glee was more than he could contain no more. She thought she might actually be sick. “You are dismissed. Your services are no longer needed.”

She had no time to react, as she immediately came to his defense. “Sir, that’s not fair. Jane has been incredibly valuable in the pursuit of Red John, and I am unclear as to what either he or Agent Van Pelt have done to deserve discipline. As I said, any and all of my team’s actions here should be laid at my feet.” She steeled her face before continuing. “And if I may be so bold, sir, why is all of your anger directed at us? Agent Haffner has been far from easy to work with on this case. I agree things could be smoother, but he’s not exactly created a healthy working environment. In fact, he came in and immediately started trying to assert himself and causing disruption.”

Haffner’s smile fell. “Please, Teresa. I came in here and took charge to prioritize your safety. Whichever one of Jane’s insane plans you decided to follow did not place your safety as its top priority. We all know you don’t use your best judgment where Jane is concerned. I’m just looking out for you like I always have.”

There was a moment of tense silence. Frankly, she was too stunned to speak. Nothing that Haffner had done in her presence over the course of the last year or so made her feel even remotely safe. 

Minelli spoke once more. “Agent Van Pelt actively worked to subvert Agent Haffner’s operation and assisted Agents Cho and Rigsby. I realize that it may be difficult for you to take direction from an equal, but I sent Agent Haffner here to look after your security. He’s right. Jane has a terrible track record when it comes to working anything related to Red John. I don’t have the time and energy to listen to your petty squabbles and grievances.”

She felt rage flood her entire body as her supervising agent explained why he couldn’t at least hear them out. Nothing ever changes. She should’ve known: it was all Jane’s fault. They’d scapegoat him and get rid of him, all while claiming they’d saved the day. They didn’t save shit. She steeled herself before her next question. “So then, if I had called into you first to tell you of my squabbles and grievances with Ray Haffner being put in charge of my security, would you have accepted my story on its face or would you have told me to stop being petty?”

Minelli merely gawked at her. “Agent Lisbon, your team has a track record that’s not very good. With that record and your obvious blindspot…”

She could read his answer before he even fixed his mouth to speak. Her chest was pounding again, but she did everything she could to school her features. There was no need to let him finish that sentence. Her voice was as deflated as her soul. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

The older man sighed as he rubbed his face. “Agent Lisbon, let’s speak outside.” He led her into the hall and waited for the door to close behind them. “Look, this is nothing personal. I know Haffner can be a prick, but from my read of everything, he’s tried to ensure your safety and a smooth running operation. We did this quietly and professionally--and he also credited you for the bust. Jane is a wild card. He always has been. He’s good at convincing you to go along with him. I never should have allowed him to come here. This case has been a success.”

“Why is it always Jane’s fault? He didn’t do anything wrong. Haffner came in hot, but you refuse to hear me, or anyone else for that matter, out.”

His eyes bore into hers for a moment. “Our objective was reached. Red John has been caught. And you know Jane is way more of a burden than he is a help. How many times have you complained about his antics?”

“And what if we don’t agree with that assessment? Where do we go from here?”

He sighed. “We don’t. The case is over.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Can I at least have permission to stay here with a small team, or even alone?” Never in a million years did she think she would have to plead with her boss to stay on a case to ensure an outcome.

“No. I don’t give you permission to stay. Why are you being so obstinate? We’ve caught him. I’m not going to authorize you playing beauty pageant on the FBI’s dime for no reason.”

“It’s not for no reason. It’s called being safe.”

He shook his head. “No.”

She looked at her hands. “Then, I’ll put in for PTO.”

“If you take PTO and try to work a case, that’s an automatic suspension. You know that.”

“But boss, you just said there’s no case. What’s wrong with a private citizen seeing through something she started?”

“No, if you do this, we are done.” 

She looked up at him with wide eyes. “We’re done?”

“Teresa, I’ve given you a lot of grace, especially since Bosco and his team. This is it. Haffner has a clear, level head about this case. It’s a perspective that you’re missing, and being around Jane makes it even worse I’m sure. It’s personal for both of you. We’ve caught him, and I’m tired of being on a limb to clean up the messes you let Jane drag you into. There’s some level of co-dependency there that’s just not healthy. You need to get back into real work. Remember why you’re doing this.”

They believed she couldn’t run her own team or make her own decisions, that Jane was somehow controlling her, that she needed to be saved from him. She nodded her head in agreement. “Ok, Virgil.” She walked back into the command center room. 

As soon as she re-entered the room, she met Jane’s blue eyes. “Agents Cho, Rigbsy, and Van Pelt. You should go back to Sacramento as SAC Minelli has directed. You’re a great team of agents with promising futures at the FBI, if you follow orders. I want to thank you all. It has been an honor working with all of you. Jane has been dismissed.” She took a brief pause. She expected to feel a lot more panicked at this part, but suddenly her mind was crystal clear. “I am also resigning effective immediately.”

She heard Madeleine gasp and saw Jane blink rapidly several times, indicating his own surprise. She had an audience that was much larger than she would ever want for something like this, but it was done. She was done. 

“Agent Lisbon…” Minelli started to speak as her former team members gawked at her. They all looked completely shocked and surprised. Perhaps later on, she’d discover her own shock and surprise at her rash acting. But what could come of a situation so toxic that her own colleagues told her point blank, in a room full of people, that they didn’t trust her judgment, especially when she didn’t trust theirs?

She just looked at Jane and pointed toward the door. “You wanna get out of here?”

He nodded and made his way over to her near the door. Madeleine interrupted their departure. “Wait a minute! Teresa and Patrick, are you sure this guy isn’t Red John?”

She and Jane both turned and nodded affirmatively to the woman’s question. She grabbed her purse and got up to join them. “Then, you will need my help to get ready.”

“Miss Hightower, we can’t pay you for anything after this meeting.”

“Do you think I care? Red John took my life from me. I won’t be able to sleep until he’s caught. Is the FBI going to stop one private citizen from helping another private citizen?” Minelli shook his head. “Good. I’d hate to have to call a reporter.”

Patrick paused, as he raised his hand in the air like he had an “aha” moment and moved back into the room. “Oh wait. There is one more thing. Agent Haffner?”

“What is it, Jane? Haven’t you done enough?”

“No, I don’t think I have.” Patrick drew his fist back and hit Haffner in the jaw. “That’s still not enough, but there you go. That should even you up there with a matching bruise. Maybe that will teach you to keep your hands to yourself, you creep.”

“You son of a…” As Haffner lunged for Jane, she grabbed her boyfriend’s hand and pulled him out of the door. What came next in the room, she couldn’t say. She couldn’t be bothered to care. It certainly wasn’t her problem anymore.

She’d taken an oath to serve and protect. She knew the difference between right and wrong, and this was right. They were right. Red John was still out there. In the end, Minelli spoke the truth, and that was all she needed to hear. She remembered exactly why she was doing this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! We are in the home stretch now. We only have 2-3 chapters left.


	16. Alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, this one is a little different so I had to sit on it for a bit. I cannot believe the overwhelmingly positivity the last chapter received. For sure, I thought folks would be throwing tomatoes or something lol. I appreciate your support for this AU! Thanks for all of your reviews/comments!

Xxxx Jane POV xxxx

It took one look into those emerald eyes to know that when Teresa said she resigned effective immediately, she meant it. It was surprising at the very least—and completely against her nature at worst. Deciding this was a conversation best had alone, they rode back to the pageant venue with Madeleine in silence, only holding hands in the backseat of Madeleine’s car. Once they returned, he excused them away to his room.

“We’re still on for 12:30. No later than 1. We need to get you ready.” Teresa merely nodded at her consultant’s words before the woman left them to their own devices.

Getting back to his room, he let them inside and immediately poured both of them a glass of scotch. He took Teresa her glass and sat next to her on the sofa. Once more, they sat in silence for a moment. More than anything, he just wanted to make sure she was actually doing ok. Finally, he broke the silence.

“You really resigned.”

She nodded. “Yep.” 

“So what the hell did Minelli say to you?”

“The short version? Minelli doesn’t trust my judgment enough to hear me out. You and I have an unhealthy codependency. What’s funny is that if I had called and informed on Haffner, which I did ask him about, he would’ve told me to calm down and rationalized everything. He just believed everything Haffner said on its face because he’s just more objective about this situation. I can’t compete with that. I’ll never be one of the boys in their club. Then, I asked for permission to stay with a small team or to stay alone. He said if I did, we were done. I just made it easy for him.” She shrugged her shoulders.

He could sense her stress. “You didn’t resign because he fired me, did you?”

She scoffed. “Please, I would’ve worked out a way to get you back on the team--or you would have worked it out. We would have figured it out one way or another.”

“You didn’t answer my question. I’m the reason he doesn’t trust your judgment, right?”

She nodded her head. “Yes. He basically repeated what Haffner said about letting you lead me around. He said he’s tired of cleaning up the messes.” She laughed darkly. “I’d just told Grace this morning that they’d find a way to make this all your fault, and they did it at breakneck pace without hearing us out. I knew it would never matter what Haffner did or didn’t do to me.” She paused for a brief moment, putting her thoughts together before continuing. “They’d close rank. I mean did you see him? Acting calm and collected so I was the one acting overly emotional? At least I could help salvage the team’s careers.”

Ah yes. She was afraid for the team. What happened in that room hadn’t exactly encouraged confidence that things wouldn’t happen just like she feared.

He took both of their glasses and set them on the corner table to his side. He took both of her hands into his and turned her to face him. “Baby, look at me please. Is this what you want?”

“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life. You remember what Kim said last night about being able to trust my handler? Well, I can’t trust Haffner. If Minelli and the FBI place their trust in guys like Haffner, then I can’t trust them either. It’s simple really.”

“Haffner hurt you.”

She looked away from him. For some reason, he found the loss of her eyes jolting to his system. “Don’t.”

“I’m not, but we both know it’s more complicated than that. You’ve always been in the boys’ club, carving out your space and doing your own thing.”

“No, it’s not complicated. I don’t have their respect, and they don’t have my trust. I will find something else.” He kept searching for her green eyes as she spoke, but he wasn’t getting anything. She was trying to validate her own reasons. Perhaps it hadn’t hit her yet that she was just bullied out of, and walked away from, a career she loved so much that it was part of inner being.

He nodded at her words. “But being an FBI Agent is a big part of who you are.”

She scoffed. “What? Do you only want to date FBI Agents?”

“No, I want to date you.” He took her hand and kissed it. “But I want you to be happy and healthy both physically and mentally. Don’t let them push you around.”

“It’s not the first time I’ve thought of quitting,”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do. It’s usually around the time I craft a brilliant, well thought out plan that leads to us catching a terrorist.”

She laughed. Good. Laughter was good. “Ok there are those times...but I’ve also thought of it more recently. After that whole thing about them not trusting my judgment, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Then, suddenly it was clear. I can’t do this anymore. And why would I? There’s no mutual respect or confidence there it turns out.”

“Come here.” Leaning his head to the side, he patted his lap with one hand as he pulled her along with the other. He wrapped her into his embrace, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Look at me please. Your job is important to you. You are important to me. Therefore, your job is important to me.”

Her eyes narrowed and she sighed. “It was important to me until he...they made me see that I really have no place there.”

“Haffner made you quit.” 

Her face darkened at the mention of him. “I don’t want to talk about him right now, or ever again really.” She was on the brink of admitting a truth she hadn’t quite recognized yet. They, specifically Haffner, pushed her to her breaking point. He created a situation so toxic that she broke. No shame in her feelings, but to see the woman who’d gladly bear the burden of the world on her shoulders so broken hurt like hell.

“That’s fair. If you really mean to quit your job, I support you. We can be vagabonds living on the coast together. It doesn’t matter as long as I’m with you.” She seemed pleased with this statement, which is why it made it hard for him to continue. “But this is a trauma response, Teresa. That’s ok. You need to work through this, but I think you should call Minelli. He will listen.”

“Trauma response?” 

“Yes, I have a pretty good understanding of what that looks like. I also know you’re never going to actually tell me the extent of what got under your skin so bad that you walked away from your life’s work. You don’t have to say the words to me, but I know Minelli will definitely be willing to listen to you now.”

“Like hell he will listen to me. He made that clear earlier.”

“He may have been clear, but you surprised the hell out of him. He did not expect you to resign over what he said to you. He expected you to be upset and to act out. In fact, I think he definitely expected you to act out--you know, maybe disobey a minor order here or there--but he didn’t think you’d up and resign. He was very confused by your resignation, and he’s going to want to understand what’s going on. Believe me, you will have his ear now.”

She considered his words for a moment before scrunching her face and shaking her head. “I know you’re trying to help, but I really don’t want to talk about this anymore. It’s done.”

From her expression, he could tell that he had hit a sensitive spot. Best not to push her any further right now. She revered Minelli, but his refusal to hear her out had been the last straw. That was clear. “Ok. Then, we won’t. What should we talk about?”

“My career prospects?”

“Meh. I know how to make a more than comfortable living in just a few hours a week. We’re set for life!” He waggled his eyebrows, and she giggled. 

“I promise. I’m ok, Patrick. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my chest. Truly. I’m tired of being calm all the time. It felt good to finally let the anger out.” 

Yet, he had the feeling that was just the tip of the iceberg. She only just realized that she could let that anger out; her anger wasn’t even close to being out.

“Ok.” He hated that her hair was up so that he couldn’t run his hands through it. Before he could stop himself, the urge to take her hair down won. He unfastened the messy bun she wore on top of her head. Immediately, he started to stroke her dark brown hair. He could see her chest and cheeks turn pink at the action. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mess your hair up, but it was hard for me to do this with it up like that.” 

“I see. Is that something you enjoy doing?”

“Yes.” He kissed her. In hardly no time, she deepened their kiss. Once they broke apart, she leaned her forehead against his. He just held her in her arms for a little while. He turned her palm over. “You know, even if we don’t need the listening device anymore, maybe you should wear your bracelet today. I’d like that.”

“You’d like that?” He nodded as she took his right hand and looked at his knuckles. They were definitely getting sore. “You know, you should ice your knuckles.”

“I’ve been in a scuffle a time or two. Maybe I will just walk around with bruised knuckles and the satisfaction that I punched Ray Haffner and didn’t even get yelled at about it.” 

She chuckled. “Well, I definitely don’t want you to get into the habit of punching people for me. It’s bad form, and besides, I can do my own punching.” She scrunched her face up, like she was thinking, before she continued. “Though, I’ve never known you to fight. You’re usually running from them and leaving me to calm everyone down.”

“Haha. You’re a funny, funny woman. Now that you’re not FBI anymore, I suppose I will have to fight more of my own fights.”

She cradled his face in her hands as she stared directly into his eyes. “Seriously, it was a sweet gesture. Don’t do it again.”

“Only if I see Haffner’s face again.”

She slapped his arm and kissed him chastely before hopping up. “I should get going. I want to grab a quick shower before I go over to Madeleine’s.”

Standing up to walk her to the door, he smiled at her. “I’ll meet you there in a little bit.”

“In the shower?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Only if you want. I certainly wouldn’t turn away your invite. Though, I was going to take care of something else first.”

She nudged his arm. “Please stay out of trouble. Seriously. I can’t talk you out of it anymore.”

“Meh. I’m never in trouble. I’ve been told I’m practically an angel. Ah! We can be Saint Patrick and Saint Teresa. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” 

This time, she playfully slapped his chest. “No one is calling you a saint. Ever.”

“And if they knew what I know, they wouldn’t call you one either.” She gasped in faux outrage, as he smiled and kissed her goodbye.

Anyone looking at this from the outside would think she was fine, but to say he was worried was an understatement. Pulling out his phone, he knew what he had to do.

It rang twice before the line connected. “Virgil? It’s Jane. Please don’t hang up. Can you talk?”

“What do you want?” The older man on the other end of the line had little patience on a normal day, but after a fight with his surrogate daughter, his patience was worse.

“I need you to hear me out for just a minute.” He waited for the line to disconnect. When it didn’t, he continued. “I don’t care that you don’t want me around anymore. It’s fine. I’ll find something else to keep me busy once this is over, but please. Don’t accept Lisbon’s resignation.”

He sighed. “What’s going on with her? Hmm? This is completely unlike her, but it is every bit like you, to pull a stunt like this. Did you tell her to do this?” His concern for Lisbon, though misplaced, was as clear as day.

“The fact that you think I can tell Lisbon to do anything even remotely like this and she’d do it suggests that Ray Haffner has been in your ear, and you’re buying whatever bullshit he’s selling especially about her safety.”

“Yes, he shared those concerns with me, but they go way back. He was concerned for her safety and how your involvement in cases makes them anything but safe. He’s just looking out for her. It’s the bad blood that you’ve created.”

Jane scoffed. “The bad blood that I’ve created?” Haffner did nothing but sew toxicity, but it was clear he’d tapped Minelli’s greatest fear: Lisbon would be the next FBI Agent to fall to Red John. “It’s no secret that Lisbon is your favorite, and how could she not be? It’s more like he’s gaslighting and purposefully trying to drive a wedge between you.”

“What do you mean by gaslighting and trying to drive a wedge?”

For a moment, he considered whether he should just tell him everything. The fact that the man was still on the line suggested he was absolutely right. Minelli adored Lisbon. Their fight had been much like the ones he’d have with Charlotte for not putting her toys away--or perhaps more like the ones he imagined they would have had in her teen years about keeping the wrong kind of friends or something. Minelli expected pushback, but he expected that all would be well once she cleared the initial hurdle of disappointment and minor rebellion. Her resignation had been a gut punch that he wanted to understand, and more likely than not, to fix. 

“Virgil...when you’re ready to hear it, and I mean actually hear it, talk to Lisbon. Listen to her. Just don’t accept her resignation.”

xxxx Cho POV xxxx

Today had to be the day from hell that kept on giving. Getting hauled in was bad enough, but Lisbon resigning was worse. They’d started at the FBI around the same time and had gone through training and being rookies together. He was honored that she’d thought of putting him on her team when she was promoted. 

Now, she was gone. They were all reeling from her resignation. Even Haffner at least pretended to be shocked. He couldn’t really tell if the man was shocked or hiding his glee really well. In any case, watching Jane deck him really good before Lisbon pulled him out of the room was fun.

He, Rigsby, and Van Pelt said nothing as Minelli continued dressing them down. “You will return to Sacramento immediately, or you will face dire consequences.”

They’d nodded at his words. Whether they actually meant to go back remained unseen. Getting back to his and Rigsby’s room was a relief because they could finally decompress and process what just happened.

“She didn’t actually quit, right?” Van Pelt still hadn’t regained her color after the shock of hearing Lisbon resign.

“It sounded like she did.” Rigsby went over to embrace her. They were good for each other, even if it was sometimes awkward for him when the three of them were alone.

“She did. What do you guys want to do?”

Rigsby looked at him with slight surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Are we staying, or are we going back?”

Van Pelt answered immediately. “I think we should stay. Jane made a lot of sense earlier, and I don’t think this is even close to over.”

“I agree. If Grace stays, then I’m staying.” 

“We realize that if we stay that we are also done?” Both of them held rank inferior to his own, and they were expecting a baby. They needed to understand the risks.

Rigsby shrugged his shoulders. “So? If we’re right and Red John is still out there, then we will have saved countless lives by capturing him.”

“Besides, Lisbon can’t go at this alone. She and Jane are one hell of a duo, but they’re not a team.”

He nodded at them. He was glad they were all of the same mind on this. There wasn’t a chance he was leaving his friend here alone. From his life on the streets to the military, there was one lesson he’d never forget: leave no person behind. “Then, we should get back over there. Let’s keep the same plans as before. Van Pelt, make contact with Jane and let him know we’re staying.”

As they were preparing to leave, there was a knock at the door. Once again, the three of them looked to each other with suspicion etched on their faces. No one was expecting company. When no one moved to answer it, there was another knock followed by a greeting. “Agents, I know you’re in there. Please let me in.”

Rigsby, the closest to the door, nodded at Cho before going to open the door. “Agent Minelli.”

“Agents, I’m glad to see you’re still here. Though, if I had to guess, you were all preparing to violate my direct order for you to return to Sacramento. In any case, I’m just glad I caught you while I could still find you on the radar.”

Rigsby and Van Pelt looked like they’d just been caught with their hands in the cookie jar, but he couldn’t care less if they looked guilty. It was the truth, and Minelli would’ve found out sooner or later. He folded his arms. “Absolutely, so what can we do for you? We have somewhere to be.”

The older man sighed. He obviously knew it would never be this easy to get them to stand down. “I want to know what the hell is going on. I just got a call from Jane.”

“He called you?” That bit was a little surprising.

“He asked me not to accept Lisbon’s resignation. Said whatever it is I needed to talk to her but not to accept her resignation.”

“So then, why are you here talking to us? Go talk to her.”

“Agent Cho, I’ve always respected your direct nature. Truly. When I tell you I’ve had a day and am I tired of bullshit after one of my lead agents resigned on the spot, please believe I’m not in the mood for games. I am talking to the three of you for a reason. You’re as thick as thieves. Tell me what’s going on. And what’s this bad blood with Haffner that all of you seem to have?”

The room fell completely silent for a moment before Rigsby spoke up. “Sir, Agent Cho is correct. It’s best you hear it from Lisbon.”

The older man scoffed as Van Pelt took a step toward him. “Sir, Agent Haffner has been acting incredibly inappropriate.”

“Grace!” As Rigsby admonished his partner, even Cho had to glare at her. Was it really their place to say any of this?

“Don’t. Just don’t. I already wrote my report this morning, and I’m still planning to submit it when we return to Sacramento.” 

Minelli looked incredibly confused. “What do you mean Haffner has acted incredibly inappropriate?”

He met Van Pelt’s eyes. While they definitely needed to air out what a scumbag Ray Haffner truly was, this seemed like a betrayal of their boss and friend. “Agent Haffner assaulted her.”

He could tell that the older man’s breath caught in his chest. He closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and licked his lips before continuing. “Agent Van Pelt, what do you mean Haffner assaulted Lisbon? What did he do to her? But before you answer me, I want to be very clear that I expect only the truth. If this is some plan that Jane has concocted to get his way on this case, or some way to get you two out of the predicament you’re in, do not even go there. I am warning you.” 

Cho was offended by the insinuation. “You really think the three of us would lie about something so serious because Jane told us to?”

“He’s a master manipulator.” Sensing Rigsby and Van Pelt were still stuck on his previous comment, Minelli gestured at them. “And yes, I know about this little situation you two find yourselves in. Did you think you’d just hide Van Pelt for the better part of a year? That’s something we will deal with when we get back to Sacramento. No doubt if Lisbon were here, she would find some way to tell me that she’s responsible. Though, I doubt that’s true.”

“That may all be true, but Jane hasn’t manipulated what we’ve seen with our own eyes. He called you because he cares about Lisbon and obviously didn’t see this coming either.” There he knew he was also walking a fine line of Lisbon’s confidence. Whether or not she and Jane revealed their relationship to the FBI was their business. 

“What is it that you’ve seen? Agent Van Pelt, you wrote a report?” The young woman nodded. “It’s clear that you don’t want to talk about this. You won’t betray Lisbon. I respect it. I’ve always respected the loyalty your team has with each other.”

At that, Rigsby intervened. “It’s not just loyalty. Lisbon has always been a remarkable leader and she respects us. We just return that respect.”

Minelli put his hand up as though to silence Rigsby. “I understand that. Lisbon has always done well in her role. I am not asking you to betray her. I just want to understand. Agent Van Pelt, you clearly have something you’d like to add here. Please continue.”

She took a deep breath. “Haffner has a history of acting inappropriately with Lisbon.”

“I am aware of the comments he makes sometimes. I’ve always told Lisbon she could speak to me if those comments bothered her. She’s not said anything.”

“Of course she didn’t. Boss, she doesn’t want a target on her back.” In many ways, Cho understood Lisbon’s reasoning. Generally, people became cops to do good in the world. There was just a certain kind of person, like Ray Haffner, that when given that kind of power, it fed their ego to an extent that it made them the biggest assholes known to man. While not everyone agreed with them or their actions, as soon as someone tried to make a change, everyone became an asshole.

Van Pelt continued. “He’s also assaulted her at least twice that we know of, in front of witnesses.”

“In front of witnesses?”

Van Pelt looked at him as though she was looking for permission before continuing. He really didn’t want to betray Lisbon’s trust. These were her stories to tell, but perhaps leaving these stories to her as her sole burden to carry is what made her feel so uncomfortable to speak in the first place. Instead of letting her continue the story alone, he thought he may as well speak to what he saw.

“He tried to force her into his car at the last Christmas party.” He never meant to betray his friend’s confidence, but he should’ve spoken out long ago. “Me and Jane came out to the parking lot and we heard her screaming. He was trying to force her into his car to take her home with him. She didn’t want to go, and her screams indicated that and more.”

Minelli’s face had gone pale. “And you’re sure it wasn’t just a friend trying to help another friend home?”

Cho sighed before telling the next part. He wasn’t sure what, if anything, Lisbon herself had remembered exactly. They never talked about it after the fact, and he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it if she didn’t. “It seems it started that way, but at some point, he’d tried to kiss her. It freaked her out, and she tried to leave but he wouldn’t let her, which is why she started screaming. She was trying to get away. We got her into a cab and saw her home safely.”

Van Pelt gasped as Minelli croaked out: “What else?”

Van Pelt continued like clockwork. “And last night, he assaulted her in front of witnesses, myself included. He came up to the bar we were at. She went to dance with him because she thought it was a check in, but he was holding her very tight, touching her, and making her very uncomfortable. She was trying to dodge him. It was so clear that our companions noticed it and were quite disturbed by it.”

Minelli put his hands up. “And I don’t assume it was part of their cover?”

“No, she was clearly in distress. Another agent diffused the situation, allowing her to get away. She was afraid to cause a scene and ruin our op, but it’s also clear that she was afraid of...him and what he was capable of in that moment. I think you need to speak to her about all of this to really understand, but she had bruises on her arms this morning.” Van Pelt pointed to her upper arms.

Rigsby spoke up. “She cried this morning after I mentioned Haffner being smart enough not to mention last night.”

“She cried?”

They all nodded. “I spoke to her. She was in distress. It was a lot, especially once we figured out that Haffner has been tracking her movements on video. I know it seems like it should be a part of the op work, but given their history and how he just showed up like that last night, it’s increasingly uncomfortable. It’s why we tried to handle all of her security ourselves initially. Haffner’s safety talk is also just weird. It seems like he’s just trying to get her and Jane apart. Regardless, we told her we would all file reports, but she’s afraid that would mean we’d all have targets on our backs.”

After a moment of rather uncomfortable silence, Minelli spoke. “So I guess that’s why Jane lined Haffner up a little bit ago?”

Cho answered. “If I had to guess, yes. Rigsby also hit him for the same reason. He came in hot to take over and did nothing but moan about how he knew what was best for Lisbon until he reached a breaking point.”

Rigsby nodded in agreement. “It was too much, boss. She’s our boss and our friend. She’s a professional, and he was speaking of her as anything but--like she was a child who needed his specific guidance.”

Their boss shook his head. “Do you really believe we’ve not caught Red John?”

Cho answered this time. “Jane doesn’t think so. Neither do we. It doesn’t smell right. Lisbon fearing for her safety from inside the op and having to dodge Haffner hasn’t helped at all. It also hasn’t helped our faith in the success of this op at large.”

Minelli rubbed his guilt-ridden face. “Get down to that hotel and provide Agent Lisbon with protection.”

“What about Jane?”

Minelli raised his hands. “ Just protect them. They’re still ours. I don’t suppose I get her back without him as a package deal on this one.”

“Van Pelt, call Jane and let him know we’re coming.” She nodded.

As she moved out to make her phone call, he met Minelli’s eyes once more. “I will stay, too. I just can’t believe that this has happened. I always thought she knew she could talk to me if she needed any help.

Cho sighed. “The day I met Lisbon we were doing tactical training at the Academy. She couldn’t lift her pack, but she wouldn’t ask for help with it. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what exactly was taking her so long. A couple of the guys made jokes about the little lady who couldn’t carry her weight, but I went over and asked if she needed help. She declined my help. I thought it might be something personal until I saw her dragging the thing out. She was figuring out how to do it herself. After training, our group got beers. We got to talking about home and missing the basketball season. The next time we had tactical training, I asked once again if she needed help with her pack. That time, she let me help her. Something I’ve learned about her over the years is that it’s not that she’s just too proud to ask for help. Sometimes, she is. But really, it’s about the trust, knowing she has yours and that you have hers.”

Minelli’s face looked grim. “She has always had my trust.” 

“You might see it that way. As far as she knows, she’d be a pariah if she ever said anything. She’s tried to shield us from everything, even though she knows we have her back. We had to lay it on the table that we are filing reports when we return no matter what. In my case, it’s long past due. I tried to apologize. She wouldn’t take it. She never wanted a fuss, and she wants to make sure we’re acting professional always, but she deserves better.”

“She does. I reckon by tomorrow, we will know whether you’re right about Red John. I’m going to have a long talk with her. If that’s what this resignation business is about, I’ll handle it. In any case, once I officially receive any of your reports on this matter, I will be forced to turn it over to OPR. Haffner will not work for me any longer. That’s for damn sure.”

“I know that’s your position. She’s just more afraid for us and the way it looks than she is for herself. It’s always been that way.”

“That may be, Agent Cho. I will not tolerate this. Even if she means to actually resign, I won’t have Haffner on my team. I thought there was just some teasing going on there. I never imagined one of my agents capable of anything like this.”

Cho deadpanned. “I don’t think she imagined that either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would be nice to look at the conclusion of the last chapter through the eyes of others. I liked exploring Jane doing his thing. He would know exactly what's going on. It took me a bit to determine just how much he might mince his words with Lisbon here. Also, Cho!! Not sure how I feel about this part of the chapter, but I just wanted to show the Cho-Lisbon (Chisbon) friendship some and how someone like Cho might be processing what's going on. Anyway, only two more chapters!! For real!


	17. Honey, Don't Stop Me Now!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I'm floored that so many people are interested in this story--and it makes me increasingly nervous that I will mess it up somehow. Haha!

xxxx Lisbon POV xxxx

Before going to Madeleine’s to get ready for the day, she stopped off at her room. As she showered, she thought about what she’d told Patrick. She truly felt that a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was finally free: free to tell the men who doubted her exactly where they could shove their doubts. Doubt was starting to creep into her thoughts, though. She really quit her job and her life’s work. What was next?

Dressing quickly and grabbing her bracelet out of the lock box, she made her way to Madeleine’s room. She was surprised at the sight that greeted her at the door.

“There she is!” Patrick greeted her with a bouquet of gorgeous fall flowers followed by a quick kiss on the lips. “These are for you.”

“I figured. Don’t you usually give them to someone after they do a thing?”

“Meh. I’m not one for those kinds of traditions. I saw them and thought you’d like them. Besides, you never know what I have planned for after the show!”

“And you were correct. I love them.” She smiled as she met his blue eyes. He could certainly ooze charm when he wanted to, and she was glad that he chose to ooze charm around her. Of course, she was susceptible to it. As she was lost in his eyes, she heard Madeleine clear her throat. “Hi there! Where is everyone? Am I early?”

Madeleine smiled a slightly sad smile. “I had to send everyone else home. Though I’m here to continue helping you, I couldn’t pay for their fees.”

“Oh. I see. Are you sure you want to continue with this? I appreciate all of your help so far, but I…”

Madeleine waved her hand as she walked over to place her hands on her shoulders. “It’s fine. I will help you get ready. Max will be here tomorrow before the pageant to do any quick alterations we might need as a personal favor to me.”

“Are you sure?”

The other woman laughed, making her hoop earrings jiggle. “Honey, I don’t just boss people around. Between the two of us, I know we can handle your hair, makeup, and skin care needs. It will be just fine.”

Patrick whistled from his new found spot on the couch. “Natural. Beauty.”

She turned at him, scrunching her face into a smile. “Stop it.” He just winked at her.

“I can give you two a moment.” Her consultant looked pointedly at Patrick. “Once she’s ready, you will not touch her at all, so get it out of your system now.”

“Not even a little bit?” He frowned like a little boy, which truly made her want to giggle.

“No.” Her consultant stood firm.

“You guys do know that I am standing right here, yes?” Patrick met her where she was standing and kissed her once again. 

Once they were apart, he stroked her cheek. “Go get made up like a little princess.”

“Oh shut up!” She tried really hard to keep the smile from forming on her face as he beamed with pride, but it made her feel special. Out of principle, she just always pretended to have an aversion to the name. Most of the men who had surrounded her for the better part of 20 years would’ve surely used “princess” as anything but a compliment, but there was always the soft, possessiveness in his voice when he said it.

She followed Madeleine into her dressing room. Today, she would wear a simple, burgundy, halter-neck dress that fell just below her knees and golden stiletto sandals of a similar height to the shoes she would wear tomorrow. Honestly, the idea of prancing around a stage on live tv in 5 inch heels would never be the most appealing idea and definitely not at the top of the list of things she’d consider fun. She constantly reminded herself that even if she did find herself starting to have fun and learning new things about herself, this was for the job. 

As her consultant worked through her hair--flattening, curling, and styling it--she worked on her makeup. She couldn’t help but think about the somewhat comical turn of events. Albeit, a job she didn’t have anymore, but she was still working on this case. People used to teasingly call her “Saint Teresa” and talk about her dedication to the job. Here, she was: no job, but she was still working the case. Everything in her gut told her that this Haibach guy wasn’t Red John, and that was before Jane confirmed what she knew. No, that guy was just a run of the mill creep. 

She replayed every piece of evidence she’d ever reviewed in her mind. Knowing what she knew about Lorelei and Miranda, she would be willing to bet on Bertram or McAllister. They’d both sent off alarm bells when she spoke to them. She hadn’t yet had time to really go over any of this with her team or Patrick. If anything, the last few days had shown her why he always complained about how suffocating and restrictive the FBI was. 

It wasn’t long before Madeleine brought her out of her thoughts. “Remember: less is more. I’ll have to exfoliate you tonight.”

“Please. You sound like my mother telling me not to overdo it. I’ve got this. You just worry about that situation up there.”

Madeleine laughed. “You think your moderately curly hair is that hard to handle? No, I could handle this in my sleep. Just a friendly reminder that we’re going for a look that will look nice on stage and camera. We’re not making you into a VSCO girl.”

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly. “Ok. I have no idea what that even means, but my makeup will be fine. It will not be overdone.”

“Not like your resignation today?”

She momentarily stopped applying her makeup, her brush hovering over her face. “You don’t think I did the right thing?”

Madeleine placed the flat iron on the table and placed both of her hands on her shoulders. Their eyes met in the mirror in front of them. Not for the first time, she reflected on how gorgeous Madeleine was herself. 

“It doesn’t matter what I think; it only matters what you think--and I can tell you’ve been doing a lot of that since you sat down in this chair. I think you were faced with a very difficult situation where those you work with refused to hear you out, even when you spoke your truth. You stuck with your principles and your gut, even if that came at a deeply personal cost to you.”

Her consultant’s brown eyes held that knowing look, the one that women sometimes traded as an open secret. How could she not know? She was speaking to the one woman in the world who didn’t have to know everything that happened to understand perfectly what happened.

As a single tear escaped her eye, she steeled herself. Crying wouldn’t do. For many reasons right now. “How do you do this?”

“One day at a time, but I think you already know that. You’d be hard pressed to find a woman in the pageant world who hasn’t experienced something similar to what you’re going through when they somehow fail to play the game.”

“I’m done playing games.”

Madeleine squeezed her shoulders. “Good for you. Every woman has to figure out what that means for herself.”

She reached up, placing her right hand on top of Madeleine’s. “I appreciate you. Thank you for listening.”

Her consultant squeezed her fingers. “You’re welcome, Teresa.”

With a nod, both women got back to work. “You know, I’d do the same for you.” Madeleine laughed out loud at that. “What’s so funny?”

She shook her again, her hoop earrings once again swaying side to side with her. “You’re sweet, and you’re very helpful. But I’d never let you touch my hair.”

Lisbon’s cheeks turned pink with slight embarrassment. “Oh, I didn’t mean...you know what? If you ever want to learn how to shoot or something like that, just call me!” 

Once again, her consultant laughed. “Now, that I might have to take you up on! You know what? I need some music.” Grabbing her phone, Madeleine cued up some music. 

She started nodding to the music slightly. “Ok, I can work to this.”

“All right! Then, let’s knock this out.” This playlist took her back to a time when songs with her friends meant freedom. It wasn’t long before she found herself, as well as Madeleine, singing along. She had no idea how loud, or how silly they may have sounded, to anyone who could hear them--and it didn’t really matter. She stood up for herself; she was free.

xxxx Jane POV xxxx

Without the force of the FBI, he needed a plan to take down Red John. Though he always knew his plans would probably diverge from the official FBI plan, not having any sort of real law enforcement support changed things. Of course, he still had Teresa who would do everything she could--but she had always been clear about not going too far. At some point, the women had turned on some music. He wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but the woman singing had a very nice voice. It was decent music for thinking. As he was formulating a plan, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Hello?”

“Jane. Where are you?”

“Oh hey, Grace. In Madeleine’s room. Why? What’s up?”

“Minelli has given us the green light to stay on. We’re on our way to you.” He knew Minelli would heed his words on Teresa. He wouldn’t just turn his back on her or let her walk away like that. He wouldn’t accept what was done in the heat of the moment. 

“Ok. I’ll let Lisbon know.”

“See you soon.” Though he couldn’t see her, he could hear her smile.

In spite of his propensity to break the rules, having the team back on board was a relief. It gave this a sense of legitimacy that mattered less to him than it did to Teresa. Getting up from his sofa, he went to the dressing room to let Lisbon know the team was staying on. Peeking his head around the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks as he took in the sight of the two women in the dressing room.

“And it’s just like hoonnneyyy! When your love comes over me!” Not only were they singing, but they were dancing.

It was like they’d choreographed their moves. As Teresa swayed to one side, singing into her makeup brush, Madeleine moved to the other singing into the tool she was using on Teresa’s hair. He smiled as they sang like they were getting ready to perform this at a school’s talent show. They were clearly having a moment. A smile spread across his face as joy filled his body at seeing the kind of connection Teresa had made with Madeleine. A sinister side of him wanted to take out his phone and silently record this moment, but after watching for a bit longer and not wanting to pry on their moment too much, he returned to his sofa.

Not much longer after, there was a knock at the door, announcing the team’s arrival. He opened the door, a bit surprised to see Minelli in tow with Cho, Rigsby, and Van Pelt.

“Hey guys.” 

“Hey. So we’re still good to work out of your room, right?” Cho’s attention was almost immediately drawn to the two women belting lyrics out of the dressing room. 

“It’s like honey when it washes over me. You know sugar never ever was so sweet!” They were still going strong in the dressing room.

Jane could only smile at the slight look of confusion on Cho’s face. “Just a little pre-pageant singing I think. Though, this is at least their third time on this song. I think they must really like it.”

“Oh yeah. Honey by Mariah Carey. She has amazing vocals and a song for every occasion.” At that, they all turned to stare at Rigsby.

“What? Like I’m the only one who thinks that?”

“No, but do you want to go join the karaoke party in the dressing room? I’m sure there’s some part of pageant prep you can help with.” Van Pelt was clearly teasing him. 

Minelli interrupted their joking. Clearly on edge, he wanted to know where he stood with Teresa. “Does Agent Lisbon know we are here?”

Cho responded. “Based on how she’s still singing, I’m going to say no.” He was not wrong. Teresa wouldn’t be caught dead performing the way she was in that dressing room in front of her colleagues--well, her former colleagues. Obviously, the women had been too busy singing to register the arrival of their new guests. “But I’d say she’s definitely been holding out on karaoke as a team building activity.”

They all laughed at that. As their good natured banter continued, Teresa and Madeleine entered the living room. While they had been giggling and talking, they stopped dead in their tracks.

“Oh my God! What the hell are all of you doing here?” The color drained from her face. She knew they’d heard her.

Cho looked around before answering once more. “Attending a concert?” As Madeleine touched her hand to her forehead and Teresa held her mouth agape, everyone laughed. Well, everyone laughed except Minelli who still looked incredibly tense. “SAC Minelli reinstated us back onto the case and has given us permission to stay here to continue in the search for Red John.”

He could see her eyes meet Minelli’s as the man motioned toward the door. “Can we talk for a moment, Teresa?” They both looked equally fearful at the sight of the other. Without a doubt, Minelli wanted to set things right.

Those gorgeous emerald eyes met his own, not for his approval, but with a curious expression on her face. He just nodded his head toward Minelli. They both needed this. “Yeah, sure.”

“Hold on one moment please. Let’s get your sash on.” Teresa stood still as Madeleine slid the Miss California sash over her head and over her dress. The cream colored sash, with the words written in gold, was trimmed in gold with small emerald beading adorning the edges of the trim. As she looked up at him, catching him staring, he couldn’t be bothered to care as his only thought was how that sash intensified her eyes. Absolutely stunning. “Now, be careful with this. It’s silk and you don’t want to damage the gem work on this.”

“Ok, I won’t make any sudden movements...as I prance around on a stage.” Madeleine glared at her while her mouth moved to one side of her face. Clearly, she was amused as Teresa made to follow Minelli out of the room. The two women were kindred spirits of a sort. 

As she followed her former boss out of the room, he could only think about how she looked every bit a Miss California. Even though she played this role only to catch a killer, she walked with the stunning grace of a beauty queen. That was all her. It had always been her. 

xxxx Lisbon POV xxxx

Her surprise at seeing her former team members standing in Madeleine’s living space was quickly followed by a wave of embarrassment as she realized that they’d been listening to her and Madeleine’s singing session. However, she couldn’t shake the surprise she felt at seeing Virgil Minelli standing before her right now.

Without a fuss, she went into a hallway to speak to him for the second time today.

As the door closed behind them, there was a long moment of silence as he stared directly into her eyes. The prolonged eye contact was starting to make her a bit uncomfortable because there was something she couldn’t quite read in his eyes. They were quite soft as he looked down to her arms. She wasn’t sure why until he sighed heavily. Oh. He was looking at her bruises. Suddenly, she felt rather exposed as she brought her hands up to her arms, hoping to cover the very bruises that had caught his eye.

“Tell me the truth: did Ray Haffner give you those?” Her eyebrows shot up and her pulse started to race. Shit. How could he know that? She blinked rapidly a few times, trying to process that question. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t her boss anymore. She had nothing to fear, but she had no idea where this question was coming from. She’d said nothing to him.

As her thoughts raced, he repeated the question. “Did Haffner put those bruises on you?” His voice was flat, void of the usual annoyance he radiated when he felt someone was evading him. He just sounded...dejected. 

Honestly, she’d meant to cover the bruises, but she and Madeleine got distracted. It was a mistake, but one she’d make sure to fix tomorrow. Her mouth went dry. She hated that Haffner had even marked her, let alone that others knew it. And Minelli? How?

“Yes.” She heard herself answer the question before she processed that she’d actually said anything. If it were possible, she’d crawl under the nearby table.

He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. “How long has this been going on, Teresa?”

She was genuinely confused. “What?”

“How long has Haffner been laying his hands on you without your consent? I reckon we have a word for that. How long have these assaults been occurring?”

She was absolutely dumbstruck. “How…”

“It turns out that the same people who you’d gladly fall on your sword for believe you are owed justice, or at least an opportunity to be heard. I tend to agree with them. You don’t have to answer my questions. Not here. Not now. I’d like to talk about it later. I’m just...I’m sorry that I’ve made it so that you couldn’t trust me enough to confide in me.”

“Boss...Virgil...it wasn’t personal.”

He looked at her with a sad smile. “Oh no, it very much is. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why you were so angry earlier and asking if I’d listen to you if you’d come to me first. I thought ‘no, I wouldn’t listen because whatever you’d say to me would be heavily influenced by Jane.’ I didn’t have trust that you’d give me a fair and independent assessment...and that wasn’t even what that comment was about was it? You were wondering if you’d reported him or called me early on, if I’d listened.”

“I guess.”

“I created a situation where you couldn’t trust me to ensure your safety--not just on this case but as a person. For that, I’m truly sorry. I never meant to put you in a dangerous spot. Please believe me when I say that I am done with Ray Haffner. He will never work for me again. If I have my way, he’s not long for the FBI.”

“That’s not necessary.” Surely, that seemed like a defense of some kind to the man in front of her. How could she explain that Haffner’s reaction to her not welcoming his advances had made her blood run so cold that she shuddered to think what could happen if he thought she was the reason he lost his job?

“Believe me: it’s necessary. Any man who’d see fit to assault a woman, let alone one of my agents, isn’t fit for my team or the FBI.”

“I’m not one of your agents.”

He smiled. “Yes, you are.”

“I resigned.”

“That’s not what I heard you say. You’re still one of ours, Agent Lisbon. If you can accept my apology and promise that I will do better, we can leave that resignation business behind. At least for now. If it’s something you still want to do after this case, I won’t stand in your way. I can’t tell you how to live your life, or how to feel about any of this, but I can tell you that I don’t want you resigning because you don’t feel safe...or valued. If you believe Red John is still out there, it’s best to get at him as an FBI Agent, don’t you think?”

“What about Jane?”

“Like I told the others, I assume you’re a package deal. I guess I owe him an apology, too. I believed he was putting you at risk of harm.”

“Is that why you were so angry with him?”

“Beyond the normal reasons?” They both shared a smile at that. True enough, she loved the man, but he could create situations that pushed people to their limits. “It is part of why I refused to hear you out. I’d rather have you mad at me than dead. I didn’t know the full picture, and I may have if I had your trust.” 

She nodded along. She questioned herself on why she didn’t call Minelli. She thought she could handle everything with her brand of professionalism, which certainly included not crying foul at any minor inconvenience. But Haffner was definitely more than a minor inconvenience. He’d put her and her entire team in an incredibly rough spot.

“Boss, I don’t really know how to talk about any of this in a way that you would understand. All I know is that if this is the cost of doing business, it’s too high.”

He knitted his brows. She could sense his worry. She wanted to tell him everything was fine and not to worry. Only, she didn’t feel fine, and she did worry. The idea of being around him made her feel disgusting; it was the exact opposite of everything she felt earlier when she was singing carefree in Madeleine’s room.

“What did he do, Teresa? Did he…”

She could sense where that question was headed, and she didn’t even want to hear it, let alone answer it. “Please don’t ask me that.”

“I won’t. But the fact that you feel safer chasing down serial killers without weapons or backup than spending another minute near Haffner speaks volumes.” He extended his arms out toward her. “Come here, kid.”

She looked at his extended arms for seconds before walking into his embrace. She’d always looked up to Minelli, and she knew he spoke nothing but hard truths and sincerity. Maybe this is what Patrick saw earlier that she couldn’t see.

“One more chance please?” 

“I can do that, but settle whatever it is between you and Jane. He’s not going anywhere.”

“I will, but somehow, I think he already knows. You know, he kicked up a fuss over your resignation. He was the one who sounded the alarm.”

“Did he now?”

“Yes, it was how I first knew I’d had this all wrong. Whether you realize it or not, many people care about you, Teresa. Just know that I choose you. I will always choose you over the likes of that shit stain.” It was there, in Virgil Minelli’s embrace, that she realized the weight she thought had been lifted earlier wasn’t. As she shed a single tear and hoped she didn’t mess up her makeup, she realized that weight was gone now.

After a few seconds, they broke. He tapped her on the shoulder. “Let’s go catch a killer.”

xxxxxx

Rehearsal went well. Erica was surprisingly coordinated, which worked well for their group since they were now down a woman. Being on stage seemed a lot less daunting than she assumed it would be, even as she continued looking for any possible point of attack from Red John. She had her team back, and she trusted them with her security, but Red John loved surprise attacks.

As she approached the dias, she smiled widely and waved to the empty auditorium. It was bizarre to think of exactly how many people would be here tomorrow to watch this show. She saw Patrick off in the wings. She smiled widely at him, as he returned the smile.

“So what did you think?” After a day that felt like years, it was nice to reconnect with her roommate. Michelle looked nervous, but not as bad as yesterday at the swimsuit competition.

“It was fine. I think this is going to go well, don’t you?”

“I do!” She noticed Erica signaling to her and Michelle.

“Gracie! Michelle! Get over here for a photo!”

They joined her across the room, near some Miss America 2017 decorations. “A group photo, huh?”

“Just something nice to remember this by.”

The four of them--Teresa, Michelle, Kim, and Erica--got into the photo as Erica snapped a selfie of them in their dresses and sashes. Never in a million years did Teresa think she’d ever be a part of something like this. 

“What are your plans for tonight?”

“I think I’m going to grab dinner with Finn. Keep it low key.”

“Anything is bound to be more low key than last night.”

“This is true. I’m going to find my consultant and probably head out. Do you guys have something planned?”

Erica and Michelle both shook their heads. Kim didn’t say anything. She just assumed Kim’s plans were Erica’s plans. “We don’t have any plans, but are you coming to stay in our room tonight?”

Shit. She was wearing the bracelet, which meant people were listening again. Instead of words, she just shook her head.

“Ok, Erica is staying! We’ll see you later!” Erica and Michelle walked off together. Watching the two of them together, becoming two peas in a pod, was nothing short of amazing.

Kim had moved to stand next to her. “I don’t know about you, but I’m old enough to remember Miss Refinement trying to bully Michelle. Now, they’re best friends with Michelle calling the shots.”

“Who would have thought?” The two women smiled at each other.

“Is everything on track?”

“As far as I know!”

“I’m glad to hear it! Have a fun dinner with your guy. I think he’s waiting over there for you.” She pointed, and there he was. Patrick was standing there next to Madeleine, staring at her with all of the swagger of a 90s romcom protagonist. 

She nudged Kim’s shoulder with her own. “See you tomorrow.”

She joined Madeleine and Patrick. “So was everything good?”

“You did a fine job, Teresa. Let’s say 11am tomorrow if you can exfoliate on your own tonight?”

“I think I can manage!” After taking her sash, Madeleine walked away, leaving her alone with Patrick.

“You did more than a fine job. So do you get to keep the sash when this is over?”

She wrinkled her eyebrows. “Well, yeah. I guess. Technically, it belongs to Miss California.”

He glanced down and looked back up with a smile that reached his eyes a bit of heat rising in his neck. “Good.”

Noticing that look, she returned the smile. “You know people can hear you, right?”

“Meh. It’s just Van Pelt.”

“You’re going to make her bleach her ears.” He laughed at that.

“Dinner will be delivered to my room in about 45 minutes. I figured we could have a team meeting over dinner. You know, talk about the day, debrief, and formulate a plan of action for tomorrow.”

She blinked rapidly for a moment. She was pleasantly surprised to hear he wanted to formulate a plan with the team. “Sounds good to me. I just...do you mind if I run up to my room to grab a few things for tonight?”

Catching her meaning, he smiled once more. “Of course. Do you want me to come up with you?”

“Jane, I think I can manage a few items in a crowded hotel.”

From the use of his last name and the tone of her voice, she could tell he took her point. “Fair enough. See you when you get upstairs?”

“Yep.” He kissed her cheek. Smiling, she walked back to her room. At least this way, she could grab a few items and not be at the mercy of a very forward thinking Van Pelt to bring her some fresh clothes for the morning. 

Reaching her room, she pulled out her key card, but she was suddenly stunned as her head hit the wall outside of her room. It took a moment for her fight or flight senses to kick in, but then she saw someone else’s hand behind her. She threw her elbow behind him, obviously connecting with the soft tissue of his gut as he let out a groan.

He slammed her head against the wall again, this time causing her to become dizzy. She swung behind her again as the man pressed her into the wall. She tried to break free, but it was to no avail as she felt a cold needle prick the skin on her neck.

“Oh, we are going to have so much fun, little lamb.”

She could feel herself fastly fading into darkness as her limbs suddenly felt heavy as she resolved to fight no matter how futile it seemed. Before she lost consciousness, she quickly slipped out a prayer. No matter what, she hoped Patrick knew this was not his fault.

xxxx Jane POV xxxx

“So what did you guys do with the few hours you didn’t have me?” While he may have had some skill in solving cases, he didn’t actually believe they couldn’t function without him. Maybe things just took longer. “Must’ve been really boring.”

Rigsby laughed. “Yeah, no one threatening lawsuits or having to break up any fights you started. It was very boring.”

They all laughed, even Minelli. He’d decided to stay on with them and manage the situation. He respected the older man’s sense of responsibility in this matter. He only hoped he didn’t overcorrect on the situation.

There was a knock on the door, which led him to leap off of the couch. He assumed it was Teresa, but it was actually room service. She told him she’d be grabbing a few things, but that shouldn’t take so long. He reached for his phone and checked it. No new messages. He was sure something pageant related was probably keeping her, but that couldn’t quell the gnawing fear in his gut that something might be wrong. 

He wished he had followed after her. When she said she could handle getting her things by herself, he knew that she could. He would never doubt her. But Red John was a wild card. The feeling got stronger as the minutes ticked away. 

“Guys, I think I’m going to go check on Lisbon.”

Risgby harrumphed while Cho and Van Pelt just looked at him with knowing, sparkling eyes. “I doubt she needs a babysitter, Jane.” 

Of course, Minelli didn’t know about them and thought this was somehow about his controlling impulses instead of what it really was: he just needed to make sure she was ok. By taking things to the next level, he’d put her into a specific line of danger with Red John. That was clear from what happened last night. Red John came for Teresa because of him. 

“No, of course she doesn’t. I just thought I’d go check up on her and let her know that we’re all here waiting on her to get started on making plans for tomorrow.” For his part, Minelli was working toward an apology of some nature, probably for thinking he’d negatively influenced Teresa. Truthfully, he probably had been a negative influence on her, but not in the ways that Haffner had convinced their boss. He wasn’t ready yet, and honestly, he didn’t care enough to make the man feel like shit as he worked his way toward clearing his conscience. He didn’t even care if he got an apology; he was happy that he and Teresa had made up.

As he was making his way towards the door, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Teresa. “Hey, where are you? We’re waiting for you.”

“I’m sorry, but you’re going to be waiting for quite a while, Patrick.” His heart dropped as he heard that voice on the other end of the line, on Teresa’s end of the line. He turned around to face the room of agents, putting his hand up and waving it to get their attention. His panic set in, but he managed to put his phone on speaker so they could hear.

“What do you want? Where’s Teresa? Put her on the phone!”

The man on the other end of the phone laughed maniacally. “Well, I’m afraid she can’t come to the phone right now. She’s a bit...how should I say this?”

He could hardly breathe. Even knowing that he was fucking with him to intensify the terror, he couldn’t help but react. “Say it. You’ve never had a problem with communication before.”

The man laughed once again. “She’s just a little unconscious. That’s all. No need to worry. At least not yet.”

“Not yet?”

“Mmmm her time will come. Tell me: how does it feel? I’ve got your girl. Again. I think we both know how this ends.”

“Do we?”

“You’re trying to be stoic. That’s cute. I appreciate that, Patrick. It’s refreshing to see a man be a man about a situation, especially as you try to uplift the spirits of Agents Minelli, Rigsby, Cho, and Van Pelt in Teresa’s absence. I just want to be clear about this: everything that comes next, it’s absolutely your fault.”

“I didn’t think you’d blame others for your crimes.”

“I mean, you put this beautiful angel in harm’s way like this. Why did you think this would be a good idea? Don’t get me wrong: I can definitely see the appeal. She’s very exquisite. You have fine taste, and I certainly thank you for this gift. I’m going to eat well tonight! I might even have something special for Teresa. Afterall, she took away my Lorelei.”

“You never cared about her.”

“That may be true, but she was mine to dispense of. She was so loyal until the end, even if she was a bit out there. Women, you know?” He laughed. “Oh that’s right. You never hold onto one long enough to know.”

“Don’t hurt her.”

“What’s that, Patrick? Desperation? Fear? Not very manly of you, certainly not very con-manly of you. Where’s the Patrick who knew me so well he could talk to me on national tv? Is he around?”

“I’m here. And I’m telling you not to touch her, you sick bastard.”

“Every year on this date, when you go and cry at her grave and think about all that could’ve been, remember that it’s not because of you. Just like you do for...oh, what were their names again? Charlize? Anna? Oh! Charlotte and Angela. Lovely girls they were. I’m glad I was able to meet them. Little ones usually aren’t my thing, but it is what it is.”

His hands shook as he gripped the phone. “You son of a bitch. I will never stop looking for you. I will kill you.”

“No, you won’t. Nor will you save Teresa. This I promise you. Well, I think this might be the last you hear from me. Be sure to take care now!”

The line went dead, and so did his spirit. He could hear the others saying words, but he couldn’t hear them. Van Pelt grabbed his phone from his hand, and grabbed his wrist. She held onto it as she guided him into his bedroom. He couldn’t speak, but he felt his face was wet as she handed him a towel. 

“Jane, I don’t care what he says. We’re going to find her, and it’s not your fault.” She was always the conciliator, but now was not the time.

“Go. You have to go. Trace the call.”

“It was from inside the hotel. Minelli called for backup. We’re going to search the entire place.”

“No, he won’t let her live long enough for that. We have to find her now.” He could hardly breathe. 

“We’re looking. The guys are looking right now. They left us here to man the center. Neither of us is...really in a shape to go searching the hotel for her.” He nodded his head. 

“I’ll get it together.” He had to. Finding Teresa was the only thing that mattered because Red John was right. It was always his fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if you noticed, but every chapter title since chapter 3 has been a song title that inspired the chapter. This is the first chapter to have two songs in the title: Mariah Carey's "Honey," and Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now." I went with two songs to show the chapter's tone change.
> 
> Phew! A lot happened in that chapter, I know. I wanted to explore Lisbon's own thoughts about where she's at but also explore some of her non-Jane relationships in this universe, especially with Minelli. Here, I think he's very much the paternal figure she never had. And Red John had to reappear at some time, right? I *think* we have one more chapter left. Let's see what happens!


	18. Obsessed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisbon comes face to face with Red John.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and reviewing! Let's just say your responses to the last chapter really got me moving to post this one! 
> 
> No pitchforks please! Here are some warnings: (1) this chapter contains graphic language and depictions of graphic violence, and (2) it ends in a cliff hanger. If you really hate cliff hangers, feel free to wait until chapter 19 is posted to read them together. They were initially meant to be one chapter, but it was too long.

She awoke in a very soft bed, underneath a very cozy comforter. She wasn’t sure she wanted to wake up, but the sun shining brightly in through the bedroom window told a different story.

“Coffee for one Mrs. Patrick Jane.” Patrick knew she loved coffee, especially coffee that was brought to her in bed. Talk about one of the greatest joys in life!

She laughed. “You’re so funny. Thank you!”

“It’s my pleasure. Anything I can do for my better half.”

As she held her coffee in both hands, she looked at him and deadpanned. “You could try picking up your socks immediately after you take them off some time.”

He whistled. “Oh, let’s not get crazy.”

She laughed just as they both registered a rather loud noise in the living room and a wail that sounded an awful lot like an infant. Suddenly, two small children with dark brown hair burst in through the door. “Mama, Phoenix hit me.” 

She paused for a moment. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember having children, especially not ones with tell tale Lisbon eyes and Jane curls. She shrugged that thought off before she looked over at the little boy. “Phoenix, you can’t hit your sister. You know better.”

“She threw the remote at me!”

“Gracie!”

“‘Twins are a blessing’ they said.” She playfully slugged him in the chest, rolling her eyes at him. He was never the most mature in handling these situations with the kids.

“You just hit daddy.” Clearly, their daughter took after the Jane side: intent on never following the rules and interested only in exploring every possible exception to them.

“Ok, and that’s different.”

“Is it though?” He was grinning from ear to ear. He’d told her as much before, but he loved watching her work.

She looked at him pointedly. “Not helpful.” Even though she wanted to laugh, she had to be stern in this moment. “Mommy and daddy have a different relationship. We’ve told you not to hit or throw things at each other. This is how you lose tv privileges for the week.”

“Mom!” Both of the children, in unison, started to plead their case.

Another little girl with her dark brown hair and her father’s curls came running into their room. “Mama, I think the baby wants to play.” As she spoke, the little baby boy in a blue onesie covered in airplanes reached out for her. She took the blond haired baby into her arms. The only one to inherit his father’s light hair.

“Maddie, I’m sure Sam wants in on all of the Jane family shenanigans, too. It was nice of you to get him out of his crib.” The little girl jumped in bed next to her mother as her baby boy grabbed a fist full of her hair. The other two children joined them in bed to play with the baby, as Patrick looked at her and smiled. He was practically glowing as he had one hand wrapped behind her lower back and held his tea cup in the other.

He sat the cup down before his smile was replaced with a grim look on his face. “You have to wake up now, Teresa.”

She blinked rapidly. “What?” 

The children who were just in her bed moments ago were gone now and the cream colored walls were fading from her view. There was no baby boy fisting her hair as Patrick reached in and placed his hand on her jaw, caressing her cheek with his thumb and those blue eyes piercing her soul. “Wake up and fight. Fight for us.”

He started to fade away before her eyes. “Patrick, wait!”

She gasped as she awoke on the cold hard floor with his name but a whisper on her lips. Her eyes felt like lead, so she closed them again. It took her a moment to remember the fight. She likely had a concussion. She braced herself as she re-opened her eyes. Taking in the room around her, she realized that she was in some sort of dimly lit dining room of some sort. It was nothing like the dream she just had. She wished she were back there.

She heard a man laughing from her side. “Welcome back, little lamb.”

“Little lamb?” Of course, she was terrified beyond belief. How could she not be? In typical Lisbon fashion, though, she managed to swallow her fear and show only her bravest front. “What does that even mean?”

“Well, the big bad wolf has himself a little lamb.” As he moved closer into her field of distorted vision, she could see him. She’d know that creepy, bald headed son of a bitch from anywhere.

“Gale Bertram is the big bad wolf? Wow. Original. Groundbreaking.”

Once again, he laughed as he leaned in closer to her. “Well, I can tell I’m going to enjoy that sweet little mouth of yours. I can’t wait to put it to use.”

She recoiled a bit. Red John never did more than maybe torture his victims with rather basic methods like stabbing them in places that would make the victim take longer to bleed out, so she wasn’t sure what he was playing at. “Is the big bad wolf Red John?”

He leaned away. “Oh, heavens no! Not my taste, I’m afraid.”

Red John wouldn’t deny being Red John if confronted in these circumstances. She knitted her eyebrows. “You’re not Red John?”

“Honey, I’m a lover, not a killer. But I can’t control what happens when I’m not around or when someone really tests my patience. You know, he doesn’t usually let me play with his food, but you’re a special case for some reason or another.” He shrugged.

“So what’s your plan?”

He reached for her hair. When she pulled away from his touch, he grabbed a handful and yanked it, causing her to yelp in pain. “Now, let’s not make too much noise.” 

Not wanting to make too much noise indicated that they weren’t completely isolated. Good. 

“Get up.” He grabbed her by arm and roughly pulled her up out of the floor.

“Not much of a lover’s touch there, Gale.”

He smirked. “If you only knew. Sit down.” He prompted her to sit in a chair at a table that held what looked to be a candlelit dinner.

“Oh, you didn’t have to do all of this for me.”

“I find it’s nice.The ambiance really sets the mood.” 

She didn’t respond as she sat quietly, not moving. To him, it likely appeared that she was being passive. In reality, she was looking to see what she could turn into a weapon to get the hell out of here--wherever here was.

“Eat, Teresa. I’ve planned dinner just for you. This entire Chicago deep dish pizza isn’t going to eat itself.”

She scoffed. “That’s not deep dish, and I doubt that it counts as pizza. Besides, I’m watching my figure. I have to wear a fitted dress tomorrow for a pageant.”

“Don’t worry. I doubt you will be making it to the pageant. Though, I’m sorry because it seems like you were doing well in the competition.” He grabbed a slice and took a bite. “See, it’s not poisoned, if that’s what you’re worried about. May as well enjoy yourself while you can.”

She knitted her eyebrows. “Yeah, Gale, I’m still unclear on what your idea of fun is. If you’re not Red John, what exactly is your function here?”

“Oh. That’s easy. I have a certain skill set that he needs to borrow some times. I procure the girls for him.” He smiled at her like he just revealed he’d found the cure to cancer or something. As his eyes beamed with sadistic intent, he continued. “Well, usually for me. As you can tell, I’ve got a knack for it and it does bring me quite a bit of joy. Though, I must admit I’ve never had an FBI agent before.”

“What do you mean you’ve never had an FBI agent before?”

“Do you need me to spell it out for you? I wouldn’t want you to get over-excited. Well, unless of course you’re into that sort of thing. Now, eat your food. Or don’t, I guess. I wouldn’t squander my last meal if someone went through the effort to get me some comfort food.”

No, she did not need him to spell it out for her. She just had not planned to have two sociopaths in the mix, especially when one of them had yet to reveal himself. For not the first time, the thought of throwing hot candle wax into his eye crossed her mind. As she sat silently, with her arms folded into her lap, she noticed the door to the dining room open and close.

“Mr. Bertram? I got your message. You wanted to see me?” Marcus. Was he...was he Red John? His voice indicated that he was surprised to find her there. “Gracie! I didn’t see you there. I hope I’m not interrupting.”

She made eye contact with the younger man and shook her head no as Bertram spoke. “Well, you are interrupting, Marcus. But I did tell you to come find me.” That tone definitely made him seem like an interloper, not the friend that the bald man had professed was his friend.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just assumed you were alone. I can come back later.”

The man smiled and waved his left hand. She noticed his right hand was placed firmly in his lap, and she’d bet money on what he most likely held in that lap. There was no way he expected to assert control over her empty handed. She may be a woman, but he had to know that she was still a trained FBI agent. “It’s ok. Don’t be. I told you to come find me. I had hoped you’d take a bit longer to get here, but I guess we can get this tied up sooner rather than later.”

Oh God. She dropped her jaw as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Marcus was not Red John, but he was definitely meant to be his second victim tonight.

“Ok, but are you sure? I don’t want to interrupt anything here. I can come back later.”

“No, come and have a seat. He’s not interrupting anything is he, Gracie?” He winked at her. To Marcus, it probably looked like a thing lovers do. To her, it was a clear message to go along with this or else.

She smiled grimly at her captor. “I guess not. We have plenty of food.”

“Ok, I guess.” The younger man seemed a bit unsure of why he was being asked to sit. What she wouldn’t give to be that naive right about now. She heard laughter coming from another part of the dining room.

“You can come join us, too.” 

“I know, but I just get a kick out of watching this.” Son of a bitch. Of course he’d been here the whole time, observing the situation. 

He came into her field of vision, but she knew before she saw him. Before her stood Thomas McAllister, or as she knew him, Red John.

Marcus looked at her. “Wow, I guess it’s hard to have a quiet dinner around here!” He raised his eyebrows as he caught a glimpse of her face up close for the first time since entering the dining room.

“Wow. Gracie, are you ok? Did you have some kind of accident?”

“You can call it an accident, but I’m sure Gale had more to do with that.” She grimaced, while McAllister laughed at his own sick joke not unlike when Haffner would laugh at his own jokes. Bertram was so pleased with himself. If she hadn’t already known, she would definitely know now that Marcus wasn’t in on this as his eyes stilled at the comment and his face turned to disgust.

He looked to both of the men and then back at her. “What’s going on here?”

“Do you want to tell him...Gracie? Let him in on the secret? I think he’s the only one in the room who doesn’t know. But before you do that, Gale, I need a word with you.”

The other man swallowed before responding. “Yeah, sure….” Before she had time to react, McAllister pulled a gun from his waistband and shot Bertram in the head at point blank range. Some of Bertram’s blood had blown back onto her and Marcus, which made the man laugh. 

She jumped, not expecting the sudden gun shot. Their theories on Red John being a fast mover had not been wrong. Marcus got up as Bertram slumped over, she noticed his right hand fall to the side of the table, gun in hand.

“That’s for not following directions. Sit down, boy! Here, let me help you.” He shot Marcus in the belly as he screamed and fell down into the chair. “Oh, hush. That’s just a little old flesh wound! Now, Gracie--or should I call you Teresa? Teresa, tell Marcus why he’s here. I know you’ve figured it out by now.”

She turned to Marcus, pressing as many cloth napkins to his gunshot wound as she could gather from the table out of habit. He was clearly in distress and in pain. “Here, you need to press these on the wound to slow the bleeding.” 

“I didn’t say play nursemaid. I told you to tell him why he’s here. Though, that is very sweet of you to try to make him feel better.”

As the gunshot wound to his abdomen wasn’t enough to clue him in, his insistence that she tell Marcus his plans was simply cruel. He wanted to see their reactions. This part was his bread and butter. She grimaced as she said the words. “Mr. McAllister is going to kill us.”

He let out a sinister laugh. “That’s absolutely right, darling. Now, I know you know more about my methods more than most. I have to say: there’s not much in the way of surprise when someone knows what your preferences are. Don’t worry: I will come up with something. I’m not like that fucking creep over there. I’ll even let you in on a little secret. I told him if he grabbed you for me, that he could have a treat--but I was never going to let him get that far. Frankly, he disgusted me. There are much more sophisticated ways to create terror. He was just...boring and medieval.”

“We all know that you don’t do boring.”

“No, I don’t. My one instruction, though, was that he not maim you in any way. And well, he damaged the merchandise.” He reached over and swept a strand of hair behind her ear. 

“You don’t have to kill Marcus. You didn’t even have to bring him into this.”

“You and I both know he was as good as dead when he walked in that door.” Marcus groaned from where he sat bleeding. Like McAllister said, it did appear to just be a flesh wound. In other circumstances, she would be sure he would survive it.

“No, Bertram said he was going to tie up loose ends later. He was always a part of this plan. I imagine you always planned to kill Bertram and probably frame him up as Red John.” The man nodded at her words. “But you’d rather he think his wounds are because he tried to help a woman, especially a pageant contestant. You hate the contestants right about now, don’t you?”

Once again, McAllister smiled at her. “And why’s that?”

“I don’t know. One too many complaints about inappropriate behavior and the Board of Directors wants to replace you with Marcus, a younger man who’s kinder to look upon without all of the skeletons and liabilities in his closet?” His smile fell at that. She’d hit the nail on the head--which wasn’t always a good thing when the guy intent on killing you currently had the upper hand.

“Wow. You are good. I’m sure the FBI will find you hard to replace. Tell me: would you like being replaced with your younger model?”

She shook her head. “If it was time for me to go, sure.”

“I doubt that’s true. You wouldn’t even let someone replace you on this case.”

She thought of her old friend and mentor then. He wanted her to think of Sam and the team of agents he killed. “No, you wouldn’t let someone replace me on this case. Why is that?”

“Oh, now, don’t flatter yourself too much. It’s not you; it’s Jane. If he’s not wrecking his brain trying to find me, what kind of fun is that? No, if your friend Sam Bosco had played by the rules, he and his team might still be alive today.”

“What rules?”

“The ones that say Jane gets to suffer for as long as he lives. Believe me: nothing hurt him more than watching you hurt. That fed me for weeks, and I can only imagine what this will do.”

She could sense he was definitely trying to get a rise out of her, to make her react. Any reaction would simply fuel him. Instead, she would change the topic. “Why do you kill?”

“Because I like it.”

“Well, a lot of people like many things. What is it that makes you take pleasure in killing and causing terror?”

He pondered her question for a moment before taking the seat to her left. Jane was right; he liked to talk. “It’s just always felt right to hold that power over someone and to be able to decide the exact moment when the lights are out.”

She had to school her face so as not to react in disgust. “So it’s a God complex?”

He laughed. “Oh come on now. Hasn’t your precious boy toy dispelled any notions of God from you?”

“Do you mean Jane?” She wouldn’t confirm that Jane was anything but her consultant. Anything she gave him now he would use against her...and against Jane if she didn’t make it. “No, he hasn’t. He doesn’t believe in spirituality for a number of reasons. I don’t think you do either--but like him, you like pulling the strings. You like to orchestrate. For you, I think you like to play God even if you don’t believe there is a God.”

He nodded along. “Interesting. So you think I like playing a role I don’t even believe exists?”

“You like to exercise a power to give life or to bring death, even over dinner. You tell me.”

“Sure. It’s a power I get to exercise, but for me, it’s a lot more about the control. I get to control their emotions, and in just a moment, I can decide whether to end them forever or let the despair continue.”

“I think that’s semantics. You embrace your complex while wrapping it in whatever you can. Surely, it’s all because someone in your life wronged you one too many times. Now, you enjoy watching others in any kind of pain you can cause.”

“Teresa, you are a fascinating woman. I can see what it is that he sees in you. Well, obviously you’re beautiful, and if I had the time, I personally wouldn’t mind bending you over a few times.” Still playing it cool, she scoffed at that as he continued. Really, she was ready to vomit, which is probably what he wanted. “But it’s more than that. You’re not just an amusement; you touch his intellect.”

“Thank you, I think?”

“What? You don’t believe me?”

“I doubt I touch him in any kind of way.” She knew that wasn’t true, but he didn’t need to know that.

“So you’re not in a relationship with him? I didn’t see you all dolled up coming back inside the other night? He doesn’t follow you around like you’re a bitch in heat?” 

She glared at him. “I am his way to finding you, and he’s my way to finding you. We work well together. That’s what it’s always been.”

“Now, you’re lying to both of us. More on that in a moment. That’s not what I meant. If given the time, I could charm you into my bed just like your friend Lorelei.”

“Now, I think you’re the one lying to both of us.”

“If Patrick could get there, I know for sure I could.”

She scrunched her face into a smile. “Really? What do you think we’d do? Would you take me to a restaurant as nice as this one? I’ve never been an uptown, penthouse kinda girl. But man, does it feel nice to roll in luxury every once in a while!”

“Sweetheart, I’d take you anywhere you wanted to go. I’ve got to know though: what’s it like? You enjoy getting fucked by that sad, sad man? I know you could do so much better.”

She whistled. “Who said there was any fucking? If there was, who said he was the one doing it? And why does the topic of whose bed my boots have been under interest you so much?”

He chuckled. “That’s cute. Really. Years of pageant gossip have made me a bit soft, I guess. I’m also genuinely curious. He’s too wounded to be a good lover. I’d know that more than anyone.” No, he wouldn’t know that. “You know, you don’t deserve to die for him.”

“Oh good. So you’ve changed your mind? You’ll be letting us go?”

“Oh definitely not, sweetheart. But I just wanted you to know that in the end, you deserved better. And you didn’t have it. Once again, Patrick Jane failed to hold onto the woman he loves.” He leaned back and smiled grimly at her. 

xxxx Van Pelt POV xxxx

Hearing Red John’s voice on the phone stunned her. Thankfully, she’d always been quick on her feet and was able to immediately initiate the trace even though it gave her nothing. As she ran the trace and got their comms ready to go, Cho organized the team into a search and Minelli recalled Wainwright and the other remaining agents to the hotel. They’d briefly considered calling in local law enforcement, but Cho killed that idea out of worry that too much of a presence could spook Red John while not enough could also spook him. 

Of course, this was all done as Jane was frozen in the center of the room. She couldn’t imagine what hearing that phone call was like for him. He was in a state of complete shock as he stood frozen with tears on his face. She’d never seen him like that before. Usually, he was the poster boy for proactivity, but this was different. She knew that. It took all she had to hold out hope that her boss and friend would make it out of this.

While the rest of the team left and started searching, she was appointed to stay behind at the command center. She knew the technology best and could help guide their search as necessary. Her current condition also prohibited her from being anywhere in the vicinity of a hot pursuit. Jane was in such shock that once she was able to break through to him, he hadn’t even realized the rest of the team had already gone. 

“Jane, isn’t she wearing her bracelet?” For the first time, he looked up into her eyes as he nodded his head.

“Let’s see what we can hear.”

“I need to get out there.”

“No. I need you to help listen for Lisbon. If she starts talking and sends a message, it would be for you. You’re needed here.” He nodded along again. For what it was worth, she hadn’t lied about any messages Lisbon might send. She’d definitely be talking to Jane. Though, she was also sure he would disappear as soon as he had his wits about him again and realized he could hear Lisbon’s message from anywhere. It just wouldn’t do to have him wandering around in this dazed state. 

They spent some time sitting in silence, waiting. For all they knew, this could be a fool’s errand. Maybe Red John figured the bracelet was a listening device and trashed it. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d been two steps ahead of them. Maybe she still had it, maybe she didn’t. Hopefully, they could figure that out soon.

There was a knock on the door. As Jane sat still, intently awaiting anything Lisbon might say, she answered the door to find Kim, Erica, and Michelle standing outside. She promptly ushered them inside. 

She looked to Kim. “What are you guys doing here?”

“One second. Cell phones. I need your cell phones now.” Both women handed them over. Michelle was incredibly confused, but Erica looked like she was used to this by now. She promptly ripped at the SIM cards, threw the phones to the ground, and smashed them with her heel. 

Michelle gasped as Erica rolled her eyes. “Guys, what’s going on?” 

“I promised I’d explain when we got somewhere safe. Well, here we are. Gracie is in trouble.” 

The young woman raised her eyebrows. “So you had to break our cell phones?”

Kim sighed. “Michelle, what I’m about to tell you cannot be repeated. I broke your cell phone for your own safety. We will get you a replacement as soon as possible.”

“Who’s we?”

“I’m a federal agent, Michelle. So is Gracie. She is missing.”

Michelle and Erica spoke in unison. “Oh my God!” “She’s a fed, too?”

Michelle turned directly to face Erica, her ponytail whipping from side to side. “Wait. You knew that Kim is a federal agent?” 

Erica looked toward Kim, who nodded her blessing for the woman to continue. “I did...she’s here protecting me.”

Michelle frowned. “Protecting you from what?”

Kim intervened. “Listen, Michelle. She can’t tell you that. She can’t tell anyone that. Not even...I’m sorry what’s your name?”

“Van Pelt. Grace Van Pelt.”

“Not even Agent Van Pelt can know that. When I told Erica there was trouble and we had to move, she insisted that you be brought along with us. After last night, I was inclined to agree.”

The young woman nodded, processing this new information. Admittedly, it had to be a lot to take in. “Do you think we’re in danger?”

Kim looked at her. Truthfully, neither woman could answer that question in good faith. Red John was a dangerous son of a bitch. “It’s doubtful that you’re in danger. Agent Lisbon--or as you know her, Gracie--is the primary target. But Kim, you knew that? Why did you bring them here?”

“To put her mind at ease that her charge was protected so she could join the search.” From across the room, Jane finally spoke.

Kim nodded. “It’s true. I got permission to join the search. Anything you need, I’m here for.”

“It’s great to have you on board. Do you have a service weapon?” She noticed Kim patted her bag. “Ok, good. Right now, we are listening to the wire attached to a listening device Lisbon was wearing. We don’t know if it’s still active or even on her. The rest of our team is out actively canvassing the hotel. We also have a few more agents coming to aid in the search. We’re keeping the search as minimal as possible. He will expect us to search for her, but we’re concerned too many cops on the ground might spook him.”

“Have you reviewed the video camera footage?”

Grace shook her head. “I wasn’t able to get patched in this morning. It’s like I kept getting kicked.”

“I might be able to help with that. Do you have an extra laptop?” She waved Kim over and they quickly got to work. She was surprised by how easily Erica and Michelle seemed to take this in stride. They sat on the sofa, hand in hand, as they worked on finding Lisbon. Whether they knew Lisbon, they cared a lot about Gracie.

About 45 minutes into their silence, their gamble paid off when they heard some soft moans on the other end of the wire, followed by “Patrick” at an almost whisper. That certainly snapped Jane from his reverie.

Kim dropped her laptop in front of Grace as she and Jane listened in for anything more Lisbon might say--if she could say anything. Grace looked at the laptop, watching footage of a large, bald white male attacking Lisbon in the hall. She closed her eyes briefly before re-opening them. She hated to see her friend hurt, but she needed to watch for anything helpful. The large man swooped her into his arms and walked out of the view of the camera.

“I’m fairly certain that’s Gale Bertram. How quickly can you get a search warrant?”

“I can call it into my boss. I doubt we need a warrant. Exigent circumstances.”

Kim nodded. “If we both agree that looks like Gale Bertram assaulting and kidnapping a missing federal agent, I can go toss his room. See what I can find.”

“You won’t find anything there. What else is on the video?” She hadn’t realized that Jane was also watching the video too. He seemed to be listening intently for Lisbon’s words and zoning out everything else. 

“It cuts out. It’s definitely been tampered with.”

“Like he wanted you to see that part?”

Grace met Kim’s eyes. “Is this something that Red John does?”

“He likes to paint the story he wants to tell.”

“He wanted you to see Bertram grabbing Lisbon. Why?”

Kim responded. “Bertram isn’t Red John.”

“No...but that gives me a really good idea of who is.” Jane started to stand up as she put her hand out to keep him seated.

“Listen, she’s talking again! Who’s that with her?” Soon, they learned it was Gale Bertram.

“He’s not Red John. It’s McAllister. She knew it was one of them.”

“Jane, we have no proof of that. Even if he is, we need to listen to see what we can hear. Lisbon is highly trained, she will give us information.”

Bertram’s words were vulgar. He literally thought he could feed a woman, and then, casually talk about those things. As he spoke, she put out a search for any unsolved kidnappings and sexual assaults. Surely, Jane and Lisbon would help narrow the parameters, but from this guy’s own words, she could tell he was dirty. They just hadn’t turned it up yet. Like Jane had told them, that was the problem with background checks: they only turn up things people had already been caught doing.

But then Marcus Pike showed up. Was he in on this? Was he meant to be a part of the game? It didn’t take long to realize Jane was right: McAllister was Red John. She sent a message to her team letting them know they’d positively identified McAllister as Red John. Lisbon held it together much better than she could--but then, there were the gunshots. The gunshots shook them all, but they could still hear Marcus’ groans. He was still alive, but Bertram was not, and Lisbon was still talking to Red John. 

Listening in on this conversation at this dinner party from hell was surreal--at best. She wanted to call Rigsby and Cho to let them know what was going on, play by play. She was afraid that calling them could only prove to be a distraction, especially if they were anywhere near Lisbon. They needed more information to go on to help find her. Hopefully, she was in a position to give them what they needed.

Her conversation with McAllister was nothing short of bizarre. He was baiting her, especially with the part about wooing her, but she wasn’t taking the bait. As she noticed a huskiness in Lisbon’s voice at several different points, she realized her friend was flirting with Red John. She looked at Jane for his reaction. His face was completely pale. 

“She’s just playing the part and keeping him talking. He’ll want to tell her all about himself and see how she reacts to things. The more time he spends exploring her psyche and trying to show her how good he is at what he does, the less he spends hurting her or Marcus.” She nodded.

“Why does she keep mentioning food?” Deciding not to toss Bertram’s room on account of him being recently deceased and not Red John, Kim had determined it would be best for her to stay nearby in case she did need to be somewhere in a hurry. She put on an extra set of headphones and listened in to this conversation. Her question definitely caught Jane’s attention. 

“Grace, where are the maps?” She got up and got the venue’s maps from where Cho and Rigsby had left them.

“Here. What are we looking for?” She spread them out on the table as Kim continued listening while they looked at the maps.

“Any areas for food preparation that might be heavily populated? Something upscale? She mentioned not being fancy or an uptown penthouse kind of girl. He would have her somewhere secluded...or nearly secluded.”

“Um, excuse me.” Erica came over to where they were working. “Did you say a secluded penthouse?”

All three of them stared at the brunette. Kim spoke to her charge. “What do you have, Erica?”

“Lorelei used to meet her boyfriend up on the 27th floor for dinner. She said it was the nicest, best hidden romantic spot. It was an old restaurant, but he’d have food ordered in and they’d eat in the dining room.”

She looked over the map as her finger landed right on the spot. Of course, there it was. An abandoned restaurant on the 27th floor. “Ok, I’m going.”

“Jane, wait! I’m going to call it in, but you can’t go alone.”

“And you can’t go with me. Lisbon would have both of our heads if I put you and the baby in harm’s way. I’ve got to go. Tell Cho and Rigsby to meet me.”

Before she could respond, Kim intervened. “Don’t worry. I’m going with him. Can they stay with you?”

“Uh, yeah. I got this. Go. Please go. I’m calling it in now.” Jane and Kim ran out of the door, as she heard more shouts, gunshots, and grunts over the wire, followed by labored breathing. Everything happened so quickly that she couldn’t tell what was going on. “Oh God.”

“Agent Van Pelt, is everything ok?” Erica and Michelle were both looking at her in concern.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I...I’ve got to get my team on the phone.”

When Rigsby didn’t pick up on the first ring, she was immediately impatient. “Come on, come on. Pick up the damn phone, Wayne!” He answered on the third ring. “Get to the 27th floor now. There’s a restaurant or some type of food place up there. It’s secluded. McAllister is with her. Marcus Pike is there and also injured. He's friendly as far as we can tell. We just heard gunshots, but I cannot tell what’s going on. She could be hurt. Jane and Fischer are on their way up there now. I think...I think Lisbon’s been shot. I can’t tell everything just happened so quickly. I can’t hear anything right now. Hurry! Please hurry!” She could feel the wetness on her face as her own panic grew. 

She heard Rigsby shout. “Guys, 27th floor. Gunshots. We’ve got to move now.” She said a silent prayer that everything would be alright. She continued to listen to the labored breathing. If Teresa Lisbon were to take her last breath today, she wouldn’t take it alone. She deserved that much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler alert: I may love sitting in the darkness, but I am also a romantic ;)


	19. My Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisbon's visit with Red John concludes. No more cliffhangers. Yay!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and reviewing! Some warnings here for graphic language and depictions of violence.

Xxxx Lisbon POV xxxx

Frankly, she was getting bored with this conversation. He was just showing off and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Marcus was slowly bleeding out, and she needed to get to that gun in Bertram’s hand.

“I suppose since you believe in all of that heaven stuff, maybe you and his missus and their brat can create a little support group in heaven. Patrick Jane’s Lost Ones. How does that sound?”

She tilted her head. “A support group?” He didn’t get the rise he’d wanted from his comment about Patrick failing to hold onto the woman he loved, and he knew that she knew it. He was looking for a way to restore the balance of power. 

“Yes. Tell me: do you think she’d accept you, the woman who’s been fucking her husband, with open arms.” Ah. Same question, different packaging.

She leaned forward. “Is that what happened to you? A woman fucked you? Didn’t accept you with open arms? You seem really pissed at women. Well, and Patrick Jane. Is it because he can get dates with women who want to fuck him and not just for a crown and empty promises?” 

He looked at her silently with a wild look in his eye. Got him. She continued. “Really, I’m just trying to understand why you get off on killing. A serial killing terrorist as prolific as yourself? They’re going to want to study your mind for decades.”

“You know, you were cute when this started. I don’t know. Maybe I should’ve let old Gale do something with that mouth.”

She leaned back. “And you’re avoiding the question. Why do you do what you do?”

“You know, I don’t think I want to answer, but I do think I want to put another hole in Marcus.” This was her window, and she knew it. This time, she would be quicker. “You know, boy, you seem all right. I just don’t like you thinking you could replace me in my show, and…” He let out a scream as she threw the melting candle in his face, hearing the slight sizzle of the hot wax hit his skin. The flame definitely burnt his shirt a bit. Before he could react, she grabbed the fork that Bertram had left on the table for her and jammed it into his left hand as hard as she could, sticking it into the table. Bertram’s dinner had been a real treat, indeed.

“Come on!” She grabbed Marcus’ hand and got him to his feet. She managed to grab the gun that had been in Bertram’s hand. She’d wanted to get McAllister’s gun, but there was no time and he was holding it too tight. 

“Slide the gun across the table and place your other hand on the table slowly. Thomas McAllister, you’re under arrest!”

He laughed that sinister laugh as he struggled with his left hand. For someone who liked to dole out pain, he wasn't good at handling it. “No, I don’t think I will. How about you drop yours and sit your little ass down. I was going to go easy on you, but I guess not anymore!”

She repeated herself louder. “Slide the gun across the table now!”

“You’ve got no real power here, you dumb bitch. Just like your little job with the FBI. You see, Bertram never loaded his gun. It was always for show.” He fired off a round that hit her square in the left shoulder as she tried firing the gun. He was right it wasn’t loaded. 

Marcus, who had stood from the table during the altercation was around the table in seconds, slamming McAllister’s head into the table. He slammed his head into the table twice, disorienting him. 

“Run!” Marcus shouted at her, but in a split second, she knew that she could never run from this monster. She had a duty to serve and protect. Besides, he would hunt them to the end of the earth. They would never know freedom. She needed her team, but she didn’t even know if they’d got her messages. No, this was it. She had to stand her ground. 

She went for McAllister’s gun. He struggled with her, refusing to let it go and turning to hit her in her wound which was gushing now. She was losing blood even faster than Marcus, but she would never give up. She’d fight for herself and for Jane, for their future.

Witnessing the struggle, Marcus hit the man’s head again. This time, she was able to take control of the gun. “It’s over, McAllister! Put your goddamn hands on the table! Now!” She wheezed her words out, feeling a wetness on her jaw. She didn’t need to wipe her face to know those weren’t tears; she could smell the copper. 

He just smiled a wicked smile at her. As his own blood ran down his forehead, he almost looked as gruesome as his signature red smiley face. He quickly took his right hand off the table and into his waistband, brandishing his knife. As he made to throw it, she emptied the clip into him. 

There he was: Red John leaned forward with his head on the table, bleeding out. The smile never left his face. Finally, it was over.

“M-Marcus, do...do you have your phone still?” It was growing harder for her to breathe. She slid down into the floor as she could barely feel her legs anymore. 

“Yes. Stay with me. I’m calling 911. I am going to get help.”

“No! I need you to call...call…Patrick. Tell him we’re here. Tell him it’s done. Tell him I’m sorry.” She always thought her last words would be a prayer--and she was right there he was. His name on her lips just like a prayer, she even thought she saw him as her world went dark.

xxxx Jane POV xxxx

As they neared the restaurant, he could think of nothing but saving Teresa. But then, he heard the gunshots. His head was spinning.

“Jane, are you carrying?”

“No.”

“Ok, you’re gonna have to stay out here. Can you do that for me?”

He nodded his head affirmatively--but he never intended to keep his word on that. He just knew they had no time for an argument he couldn’t win. He needed to find Teresa. Rigsby and Cho came running around the corner with Minelli in tow. 

“Any idea on what the situation is inside, agent?”

“Kim Fischer, Marshal Service. No, sir. We just heard several gunshots. We’re going to have to breach it hot.” She was an interesting woman. She’d known Teresa for all of a week. Yet, here she stood volunteering to run into a deadly situation, head first, to save her life. It was the exact kind of thing Teresa would do, too. He knew why these women got along so well.

He pulled his firearm out. “Then, let’s go. Eyes and ears open, everyone. Remember we have an agent and at least one friendly in the…”

Just then, the door burst open. All of the agents leveled their guns at the door. A man in bloodied clothing came out. They all screamed some version of “get your hands up.”

Kim yelled. “That’s Marcus Pike.”

“Oh thank God, you’re here. Please. She needs help really bad. I’ve been shot too, but she needs help. God, she really needs help. Please help her. He’s...he’s dead, I think.”

They rushed into the room as Kim pulled Marcus off to the side to tend to his wounds. He heard Rigsby yell: “Grace, we’ve got her! Get that bus off of standby! Now!” Then, he saw her. He saw those golden stilettos first, the ones that she complained about but secretly loved because they made her taller. Her face bloodied, she was on her back on the floor. Her green eyes were glassy as she gasped for air. 

He ran to her side and fell to his knees. If he believed in it, this would've been the moment he said a prayer. He took off his jacket off and pulled her into his arms, pressing it over her wound. “Patrick...I’m sorry.” 

“No, no. Teresa, no. You’re not sorry. You’ve nothing to be sorry for. I’ve got you. Everything is going to be ok.”

“I didn’t mean to...kill...him.”

At the table nearby, McAllister was face down dripping blood from his chair. There was knife in the floor next to him. He wondered if that was the knife he'd used to make his signature kills, if that was the knife he had used on Angela and Charlotte. He imagined that had been the man's last stand. In an ironic twist of events, his own blood was raining down onto and covering the blade. This monster caused so much pain and anguish to so many people; it was the terror he liked to create. If anyone had asked him a few weeks ago, he would have told them that vengeance was his life’s work. He had meant to kill Red John, to make him pay for his monstrous ways. He hadn't killed him, but one way or another, he was dead and gone now in a scene that looked like one that monster himself would've made and probably taken pride in. When he saw Teresa laying on the ground, her own blood beginning to pool around her, he couldn’t care less. Nothing else mattered other than the fact that the woman he loved was bleeding out onto the floor. Red John was someone else's problem now.

"No, baby, you did good. You didn't have a choice. I don't care about that now. He's dead. It's over. But you're still here." Hearing her ragged breaths, he looked around before he screamed. “We need an ambulance now!” 

“Not...your...fault.” He mused over her words. She thought she was dying and she wanted him to know it wasn’t his fault. Not for the first time that day, he started to cry.

“Just stay with me, Teresa. That’s all you have to do. I’m here, and I need you here with me. I love you.” 

“Love you...too. Not...your...fault.” He cradled her in his arms for what seemed like forever until Rigsby and Minelli were at his side, pulling him away for the medics to get to her. He had no sense of time. The next thing he knew, they were loading her into the ambulance. Van Pelt and the girls had also joined them.

“Jane, are you hearing me?” Minelli was trying to talk to him, but he couldn’t be bothered.

“Where...where are they taking her? I need to go with her.”

“Jane, it’s ok. They’ve got her stabilized. They think the wound and the struggle may have caused a collapsed lung. They’ve got an OR prepped for her immediately upon her arrival at the hospital.” He nodded his head. 

“I’ve got to go.”

Cho grabbed him and stopped him. “We all are going to go in just a minute, ok?”

“I need to be there now.”

“I know. We just need to make sure you’re with us first. We’re going to give statements at the hospital.” 

He nodded. “I’m ok. Let’s go.” Cho nodded at him.

He remembered nothing of the ride to the hospital. He vaguely remembered when Wainwright arrived with Kim, Erica, and Michelle. He vaguely remembered when Cho dragged him to the bathroom to scrub the blood, her blood from his hands and arms. “She’d have my ass if I let you sit there like that.” Cho had told him as he handed him a fresh set of clothes to put on. He fondly remembered their first meeting and how she’d told him to clean up. Cho was right, and from the way he spoke, he could tell his mind was in the same place as his right now.

He had little recollection of anything until Ray Haffner arrived.

“Where is she? Is she ok?” He’d sworn that he’d caught Red John, even though they all knew he hadn’t. Darkly, he thought about McAllister’s words on the phone call. In the end, he was right. He hadn’t caught him. Teresa did that. Now, her life hung in the balance. 

“Get out...get him the fuck out of here! Right now!” He couldn’t control his anger around this fool any longer. He had no reason to even play at being nice when his incompetence, in part, had led to this. He left them completely vulnerable, and everything he’d done to Teresa made his blood boil.

Minelli was once again by his side with his hand on his shoulder. “Jane, calm down. Let me handle this. Ray, it’s best that you leave. We will talk later.”

“Leave? I’m not going anywhere because this lunatic says so. I’m here for Teresa. How is she?”

“Fine. We can do this now. She’s in her third hour of surgery, Ray. She’s got a collapsed lung and significant blood loss resulting from a tussle she took with a terrorist you assured me you caught. She has a 50/50 chance of pulling through. And you’re not leaving because this lunatic says so. You’re leaving because I said so. In fact, do not ever bother showing your face in my office again. You’re done.”

“Done? Do you think this is my fault? You agreed we caught him!”

“I did, which was almost a fatal error for Agent Lisbon. I’ve been rethinking my own actions and how we landed here, as I will be for some time to come, but that’s not why you’re done.”

“Then what?”

“You see, Teresa Lisbon is a damn fine agent, a very talented woman. As long as I’ve known her, she’s always wanted nothing more than to get along and to do the job. I let you convince me that not only was she not doing the job, but that she was significantly impaired. You had me doubting her judgment because you saw something as an outsider looking in that we’d all missed. I clipped her wings because of you.”

“Boss, we all make decisions based on the information we have. Jane is a wild card. It’s not…”

“Let me finish!” Minelli roared like a lion out to protect his cub. “And do not bring Jane into this. Not unless you’re going to feed me some bullshit about he’s the reason you’ve been sexually harassing and assaulting your co-worker.”

He’d lost all color in his face and was sputtering. “This sounds exactly like shit he’d make up. You know that!”

“Let me tell you what I know. He’d walk a lot of lines to get to his end result, endangering her was never one of them. Not just because he wouldn’t do it, but because she wouldn’t let him. She’s a fully capable agent, and from what I can tell, she runs circles around you. Another thing that I know is that your fellow agents have observed incidents of you harassing her. Verbal and physical.”

He looked around. “What is this? Is someone trying to make a report? Maybe they should just say what their grievances are with me to my face.”

“This isn’t the place. I’ve received no official reports...yet. I am opening an investigation based on what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen.” Minelli paused for a second, rubbing his face. “You left bruises on her arms. Now, I’ve had the videotape from the nightclub pulled already. When she wakes up and tells me what happened and I review that tape, do not think for a second that I will hesitate to encourage her to file a report with the LAPD. I will not have anyone like you working for me.”

“Boss, I can explain…”

“Can you? You terrorized your female colleague to the point that she’d rather chase down a fucking serial killing terrorist alone than spend another minute in your company or in the company of anyone who’d stick up for you. I don’t think you can. What possible explanation could even exist for that?”

Haffner spluttered, trying to form some lie or another to cover his ass. Minelli wasn’t giving him the chance. “Get the hell out of my sight before I beat your ass myself. Trust me: those little bee stings you got from Fischer and Jane will be nothing compared to what I will do.”

“Fischer?”

“Hi!” From the corner of the room, Kim made herself known. She’d been talking to Wainwright. “Agent Kim Fischer. Marshal Service. I’m responsible for the one on your right side.”

Haffner scoffed. “Whatever. Wainwright, will you let me know when she wakes up?”

The younger agent furrowed his eyebrows. “Not a chance in hell. Is that why you kept going on and on about her safety? You said that Jane was a threat to her safety.” 

“I’ve never been a threat to her safety. I’ve never berated her in front of her colleagues or tried to force myself on her. That’s...well, that’s all you, Haffner.” The shock and horror on Wainwright’s face turned to rage, but the younger agent kept quiet. Clearly, he hadn’t been in on Ray Haffner’s open secret.

Haffner rolled his eyes. “Look, that’s bullshit. I had my reasons for trying to ensure her safety. You’re all too blind to see Jane for what he really is.”

“What he really is is an asset.” Rigsby, seated next to an extremely pissed of Van Pelt, chimed in. “An asset who makes you jealous as hell.”

He laughed. “Is that what Lisbon is saying? I’ll clear this up with her.”

“No, you won’t because it’s what we’re saying.” Cho walked closer to Haffner. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten last Christmas. I’ve already written a statement.”

“A statement about what? That your boss got a little drunk and couldn’t handle her liquor?”

He closed his eyes, practicing every technique he could to not pummel Ray Haffner and not stop hitting him until he looked something like Thomas McAllister. “Leave. Haffner, leave. Now.”

“Why because you want me gone? Teresa is my friend, and I care about her.”

Before he could respond, Minelli intervened. “Spoke like a true asshole, Ray. Officer, escort Mr. Haffner off the property. If he tries to come back on this property, arrest him.”

“What?! You have no authority for that.”

Minelli held up a piece of paper in his hand and handed to Haffner. “Well, you see, actually I do. I have a friend at the LA County DA’s Office. They take stalking crimes seriously. I was able to get a temporary restraining order for as long as she’s in this hospital. So if you set foot on these premises again, you will be arrested. And honestly? I hope you try it. I’m sure OPR is already going to have a field day with you. I’m sure an arrest related to stalking would make it even better.”

He’d never seen Ray Haffner look so enraged. He knew he’d been had. “This is bullshit, Minelli.”

“I don’t care what you think this is. Officers!” As the officers in uniform approached, the older man put his hand up to stop them. “One more thing, Ray. I want you to know that this comes from me, not Teresa. I don’t want you to get it in your head that once I’m rid of you that you can keep coming after her. I take care of my own. Now, get the hell out of my sight.”

And just like that, the uniformed officers walked Haffner out of the building.

Hours passed in what seemed like an eternity as they waited for updates. When they pushed the nursing staff, they were told they had no updates. They’d tried to convince Rigsby to take Van Pelt back to the hotel for some sleep, but she wouldn’t leave the hospital. None of the team left. Minelli also stayed on, as he noticed the man held onto a set of prayer beads.

Madeleine joined them at the hospital some time after Wainwright and Kim escorted Michelle and Erica back to the hotel. Without a word, she sat down next to him and held his hand. He wondered how many times she’d held a contestant’s hand through a difficult situation. Maybe not life or death, but she seemed well versed in it. At some point after that, he fell into a fitful sleep, only to be jolted awake by a young doctor and nurse entering the waiting room to see them.

“Agent Lisbon is going to make a full recovery.” As the young doctor spoke, a wave of deep breaths were exhaled around the room. “It’s going to take some time for her to recover, and she will likely need to be intubated for a little while longer. Right now, she is still under sedation. We can allow one of you to go back and see her.”

They all looked to him as he stood. “I’ll go.”

“Nurse Johnson will take you to her room.”

He wasn’t sure what to expect once he got there. She’d been through a lot. He still wasn’t prepared for the sheer amount of medical equipment surrounding her or the tube down her throat helping her breathe.

As he approached her side, he pushed her hair back from her forehead and gave her a kiss. He could see that her hair was caked with blood. That wouldn’t do.

“Nurse, is there any way I could get some towels and some water? I need to clean her hair. There’s blood in it.”

The older woman nodded. “I can use some shampoo packs on her hair when I come back. I have to check another room right now.”

“I can take care of it if you have them on hand. Please let me.” The woman gave him a knowing look as she handed him the towel like packets that held the shampoo. He worked the blood out of her hair, careful to ensure he didn’t disturb her. He needed to do this for her. He smiled as he realized she’d probably wake up and complain he hadn’t conditioned her hair properly or something--but at least she would wake up.

After plopping her long dark hair with a towel, he pulled up the chair next to her bed. He took her hand in his, noticing that her corners of her lips were turned upward. He wondered if she was dreaming.

With her safely in front of him and her hand in his, he was finally able to fall asleep too. He awoke to a strong grip on his hand and her emerald eyes looking back at him.

He stood and kissed her forehead. “Welcome back, love.” My hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two birds, one stone. I wonder what comes next?


	20. The Greatest Show

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it!! Thank you all for reading, reviewing, and taking this ridiculously long journey with me!!

xxxx Jane POV xxxx

Even through constant reassurances that she would be fine, Teresa’s doctors kept her intubated and lightly sedated throughout the day. They said it was to alleviate some of the discomfort of the tube in her throat, but it didn’t make it any less unnerving. He refused to leave her side, and she would acknowledge his presence every so often when her green eyes fluttered open. She would always tap her hand on the bedside, and eventually he figured that she was trying to communicate, so he gave her her phone. 

Almost immediately, she typed on her phone for him: “Go sleep.”

As she lay in a hospital bed recovering from a gunshot and collapsed lung, of course she still worried about him. “I did get some sleep.”

“Not enough. Worse than me.”

He smiled at her message. “Of course I look worse than the most beautiful woman in the world. That’s not hard to do.”

She rolled her eyes at him before falling back to sleep. When she woke up again, she typed: “Clean yourself up.”

“Not a chance I’m leaving your side, little lady.” She narrowed her eyes at him. He imagined that once that tube came out, he’d have hell to pay. He had no intentions of leaving her side. Why would he when his entire world was right here in front of him?

Well, that’s what he thought until Madeleine showed up, looking like an action hero who had come to join Teresa’s crusade.

“Patrick, have you even been back to your hotel? I can stay here with Teresa for a while. Go take care of yourself.”

She typed on her phone. “Yes. Go.”

“Fine. If you want me to go, I will. I’ll be back in two hours.” Both women rolled their eyes at him. 

“TOMORROW IS FINE!”

He stroked her hair back. “You know, you’re usually cute when we argue, but well...” She narrowed her eyes at him. He knew if he finished that sentence he wasn’t coming back from it anytime soon, breathing tube or not. Getting up from his chair, he kissed her forehead. “Ok, I will go. Text me when Madeleine leaves. I’ll be right back here if you need me. I love you.”

“Love you. Won’t need you here. Rest. See you tomorrow.”

“I’ll be in touch.” He kissed her forehead again. With a squeeze of her hand, he walked out of the door. 

Madeleine reached for his arm. “I will call you when I leave just to check in.” A kindness. He nodded at her words as he exited the room.

He watched as Madeleine took his seat and held Teresa’s hand, much like she had held his last night. Even after the door closed behind him, he continued to watch the two women on the inside. The loss of her presence stung, but he was suddenly becoming aware of the fact that he hadn’t eaten since early the day before. 

He reached out to the team to see if there were any updates before going back to his hotel. Minelli had given Van Pelt, Rigsby, and Cho leave to stay in Los Angeles for the next few days. He also stayed. After all, there would be a lot of questions to answer, and he had an agent in the hospital in critical condition. 

When he got to his hotel, the busyness of the place seemed outlandish. Then, he remembered today was the day of the pageant. That’s why Madeleine wanted to go sit with Teresa. “It’s the beauty consultant’s job to see her contestant through the pageant no matter what,” she had said on the phone. Even though she used that as her reason to sit with Teresa, their quick, well bonded friendship was something great that emerged from such an awful situation. A month ago, he would’ve had to work hard not to call someone a moron for thinking “good things” could come from anything remotely linked to Red John. Yet, here he was.

Be that as it may, he felt useless. Bertram and McAllister kidnapped Teresa, she fought like hell to survive, and because of her, Red John was finally gone. Bertram and McAllister were both dead. He was glad that the doctors said she was on the mend and that things looked good. It still made him incredibly anxious to leave her side. The last 24 hours was a whirlwind, and he wanted nothing more than to hold her again. Finally, he could move on. They could move on.

xxxx Madeleine POV xxxx

After a long night, her morning seemed even longer as she recounted everything she knew of Red John and her experiences with Teresa to the FBI. She never expected to have been so close to Red John this entire time. Gale Bertram and Thomas McAllister had always set off all of the alarm bells, especially after Miranda. They were creepy men, but so were a lot of men who thought they could hold power over, extort, and bend women to their will for the hell of it. She just never imagined the rot went this deep.

Red John’s interest in making her life a living hell also made a lot more sense now. Though she was never capable of the things Miranda accused her of, it was easy to convince people that a perceived outsider like herself must’ve destroyed her innocence and pushed her to her limit. Who else would they blame? Even if this was truly her last pageant (because who knew if her reputation could ever recover), she was glad Teresa took a chance on her. Even knowing her story, she believed her. So did Patrick. 

Receiving the updates on Teresa, she knew that she wanted to watch the pageant with her in her room. It’s why she reached out to Patrick. Well, that and she knew he probably needed the rest that he wouldn’t allow himself to take. In that waiting room last night, the situation was tense for obvious reasons. She wanted to support Patrick because she doubted that without his support and encouragement any of this would’ve happened--which is exactly why he was so upset. In the end, Teresa caught the bastard, but at what cost? She spent the evening holding Patrick’s hand and silently praying that her friend would pull out of it.

As she arrived in Teresa’s room, she was glad to see that she was well enough to argue with Patrick. Surely, that was a good sign. After the women sent him off, Madeleine took her seat beside the bed.

“I thought we might watch the pageant together on tv since we can’t be there.”

“You could go.” 

She smiled. “Not without my contestant. Besides, you are much more interesting than anything happening there. I can guarantee it.” She noticed that glint in her eyes that suggested she would have smiled if she could.

“Thank you for getting him to go. Needs rest.”

“He’s worried. We all are, Teresa. They weren’t sure if you would live when they brought you in.” Almost immediately, her words tasted bitter. That was a lot to put on her as she lay here in bed still needing the use of machines to help her breathe.

“I’m sorry.” Teresa waved her hand at her before reaching for her phone once more. 

“It’s ok. I am alive.”

She nodded at her friend as a tear fell from her eye. “You are.” Teresa reached for her hand and squeezed. For whose benefit, she was unsure. In spite of her obvious bravery, she couldn’t imagine what horrors she’d faced in that short amount of time. 

They watched the pageant together, as Teresa dozed in and out. Patrick told her the medications would make her do that. She struggled to stay awake as they watched the winner be announced. 

Teresa’s face lit up when they announced Michelle as Miss America 2017. She typed out a message to her. “She did great.”

“Yes, she did. And so did you!”

“Don’t have her number on this phone. Can you congratulate her for me?”

“I will. I am sure they will be by to see you. They were here last night as well.” Teresa’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Apparently, Kim joined the search for you. From what I could gather sitting in the waiting room and talking to Erica, they listened to you, looking for clues. Erica provided the last bit of information they needed to find you. They stayed here as late as they could before Kim and one of your agents took them back.”

A look passed over Teresa’s features that she couldn’t quite make out. Once again, she typed out a message. “Thank you.” Not much longer after that, she was asleep. Madeleine stayed with her for another few hours, reading as her friend slept peacefully. 

Keeping her promise to Patrick, she called him. “Patrick, I’m leaving. Everything is fine here. She’s sleeping.”

“Ok. Is anyone else there? I think I may come back so she’s not alone.”

“She is alone, but I think she really wants you to rest though.”

He laughed a bit. “There’s no way I can rest so long as she’s there recovering.”

“It’s not what she wants though.”

“I know. She’s always made me take care of myself, even after Angela and Charlotte died. She was the first person to make me remember what it is like to be a human.”

“You really love her, don’t you?”

“She’s my world.”

“So take care of yourself tonight. Come see her in the morning.”

She heard a long sigh on the other end of the line. “I will wait until the morning.”

“Have you eaten?”

“A little bit ago. Hey, um, who won?”

“Michelle.”

“Good for her.”

“Teresa wanted me to congratulate her because she doesn’t have her number on her regular phone. I told her they would likely be by to see her.”

“They will. Kim reached out to me. Erica and Michelle were asking about when they could see her. I told her that I would let them know when she’s up to visitors. I don’t imagine she’s up for much talking right now with the sedation and the breathing tube.”

“I think she would like their visit. It would be good for all of them. They got very close. Even during pageant season, it’s rare to see that kind of friendship flourish amongst contestants.”

“It’s nice for others to see what I see. She has a lot of love, and she’s easy to love. I’m glad that she was able to find these friendships, especially yours, Madeleine. Thanks for calling.”

“Get some rest. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” With that, she hung up her phone. 

Teresa Lisbon was a living, breathing hero, whether she knew it or not. But more than that, and maybe even more importantly, she was a person people admired. 

xxxx Lisbon POV xxxx

Waking up with this tube in her throat was an absolute nightmare. Though, she was sure it was better than not waking up at all. Thankfully, when she woke up early the next morning, the doctors in her room assured her she was healing well and making great progress. Trading an oxygen mask for that blasted tube was exciting. She could finally talk again.

The tube was out before Patrick arrived. Hopefully, this meant he had found sleep last night. In any case, she called him after taking some sips of water. She was quite thirsty.

“Hello?” There was a great deal of uncertainty in his voice.

“Hey, stranger.” Her voice was so hoarse that she nearly croaked the words out.

She heard a heavy exhale on his end of the line. “Baby, you scared me.”

“I scared you by calling you? You were my first call you know.”

“I’m glad to know I’m your first call. So they took the tube out?” 

“Just a little bit ago. My voice will be funky for a day or two. I’m incredibly thirsty.”

“I’m on my way over now. Would you like me to bring you a smoothie? Or maybe a coffee?”

“Mmmm coffee sounds good. And maybe a muffin?”

He chuckled. “For you? I’ll bring you the finest coffee and muffins in the land. Michelle and Erica had me come over and get your things a little bit ago, so I’m bringing a little bag of clothes for you. That’s why I wasn’t there already. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Did you at least sleep?” She had to replace her oxygen mask. She might be healing well, but recovery was no joke.

“A little. It would’ve been better if you were here.”

“I’m sure. I’ve been told that I improve sleep quality.” She could hear his smile on the other end of the line.

“You definitely improve my sleep. I don’t plan to ever sleep apart for the rest of our lives, so I hope that’s ok.”

She let out a wimpy laugh. “So you’re already moving into my place? Bold of you, Patrick Jane. Thought we’d at least get a week in first. What’s next? Marriage?”

“Teresa Lisbon, are you asking me to marry you? Just want to be clear. Because my answer is yes.”

Her eyes went wide. Did she just propose to him? “Shut up! Not nice to take advantage of a woman coming off of sedatives and on oxygen.” She noticed Marcus, in a wheelchair in her doorway, as he laughed. “Hey, I’ll see you when you get here. I have a visitor.”

“A visitor?”

“Marcus is here to see me.”

“Ah ok. If he tries to hit on you, just remember that you’re a betrothed woman now.” Without another word, she hung up her phone. He could be insufferable when he wanted.

“Hey! How are you?”

“Gracie...Teresa. It’s good to see you’re awake. I’m doing pretty well. I might get released the day after tomorrow.”

“That’s good. They just removed the tube from my throat. Sorry my voice sounds so horrible.”

He waved his hand as he flashed a smile. “Seriously, don’t worry! I’m glad to see you’re doing well. I already gave a statement, and I’m sure you’re not able to tell me anything, but I wanted to thank you for saving my life. A serial killer wanting you dead is quite a shock to say the least.”

“I can imagine. So are you getting promoted?”

He nodded. “The board has reached out to me to apologize profusely and offered me the position of President. I’m sure they’re trying to head off any lawsuits. They were unaware of any danger to the pageant or that any operation was happening.”

“Well, I’m not surprised they kept a lid on it. They would’ve gladly killed us both and rode off into the sunset while pretending to know nothing.”

“I don’t doubt that’s true. There’s actually another reason I’m here.” 

His brief pause put her on edge a bit. “Marcus, I didn’t lie when I said I have a boyfriend. I really do. He’s on his way here.”

“Oh.” He laughed. “That’s not it at all. Believe me: I know how to take no for an answer, and I’ve seen you in action. I was just trying to think of a way to ask you this, but I would like it if you came on board as my Pageant Director.”

She blinked rapidly. “What? Me?”

“Yes, you! You’ve got the personality for the gig. The Organization has to rebuild its image as one that’s not associated with creepy men who want to harm women. We want to encourage women to reach their goals, not prey upon them. Out with the creeps, in with people who respect our contestants.”

“Truly, I’m flattered.”

“You’re my first pick. I know we’ve not worked together, but from our conversations and seeing you in action the other night, I can tell that you’re just the right fit for this job.”

She regarded his words for a moment. If she actually wanted to make a break with the FBI, this would be just as good a stepping stone as any. She didn’t mind being in the pageant world, but was it really her world, the one she could best support and change? “Marcus, can I make a suggestion?”

xxxxxxxxx

A week later, and she was still in the hospital. Her team, though they’d been by to see her, returned to Sacramento days ago. From evidence at McAllister's residence, they'd confirmed he was Red John. Once they cast a net for Bertram, they found former pageant contestants who came forward to detail his cruel treatment, assaults, and threats he used to keep them quiet.

She was healing decently. Her doctors seemed optimistic that she would be able to go home soon. Her doctors wanted to make sure she was fully healed and well enough to sit during the six hour car ride without complications, and she could not wait to get out here!

Today though, she would be Skyping into the pageant’s closing ceremony. For obvious reasons, the ceremony had been delayed. Madeleine came by that morning to help her get ready for the camera, helping her into her floral print dress and taking care of her hair and makeup.

“You look great, Teresa. I’m glad you’re healing well.”

“Hopefully, I will be out of here in the next couple of days. I’m starting to go stir crazy in here.”

Her consultant--no, her friend--clad in her pink, wool skirt suit smoothed her hair down. “I hope you get out soon, but I’ll be sad to see you go back to Sacramento. I’ll be all alone here in Los Angeles!”

“All alone? What about Max? Do his house calls end after the pageant is over?” 

Madeleine let out a very loud laugh. “No comment.”

“I don’t suppose this is the part where I do the cheesy ‘let’s keep in touch’ and sign your yearbook, is it?” 

“No, I know where to find you. Don’t forget I run a wedding planning business, too.” She winked at her.

“Haha. You’re hilarious.”

“I give you guys six months before you’re engaged or hitched.” She gave her friend a sidelong look. Suddenly, everyone was convinced she and Patrick were getting married. When she’d informed Minelli, informally of course, that the status of their relationship changed, he didn’t even pretend to be shocked! “I will be talking to him to make sure he does right by you and understands how to treat a precious gem,” he’d said--making her blush profusely.

Erica and Kim were standing in the doorway, also wearing their nicest tea dresses. Kim waved to her as Erica greeted her. “Teresa, how are you doing today?” Immediately following the event, which is what she’d taken to calling her run in with Bertram and McAllister, Erica and Michelle both had expressed their shock that she was actually an undercover agent. The first time they dropped by a few days ago, it had taken some getting used to for them to actually call her by her name.

Madeleine looked her over once more. “Well, you’re good to go, Teresa. I have to get going. I hope you ladies will have fun, and stay out of trouble!” She squeezed her good shoulder before departing. She really was going to miss Madeleine.

“Seriously, how are you today? You look amazing.” Kim was by her side in no time as she started to make them cocktails out of the vodka in her water bottle. Without a doubt, she knew the vodka in a water bottle was Kim’s idea. That was Law Enforcement Events 101 if you were interested in anything other than cheap, disgusting beer. To her credit, she did make sure that she wasn’t on heavy painkillers before deciding to bring a build your own screwdriver set up.

“I’m feeling just fine. I’m down to barely using the oxygen machine at all.”

“I’m glad to hear that! So you’ll be going home soon?”

“Hopefully, in the next few days. How about you guys? Off on your next adventure?” Erica rolled her eyes, telling her exactly what she needed to know.

“Actually yes, but I’ve been wanting to talk to you about that.”

“We’re going to be joining you in Sacramento.”

“Oh? Really?” That was a surprise. Surely, they’d want Erica nowhere near anyone related to her old life. 

“You’re the first person to have a breakthrough with Erica.”

Erica rolled her eyes. “I am standing right here.”

Kim shrugged her shoulders. “It’s true. Up until this little adventure, you were hard as hell to handle. It seems we’ve found a way to help you settle in with folks.”

Lisbon blinked in confusion. “Wait. Aren’t you based out of New York?”

“Nope. I never was. However, I am now based out of Sacramento, out of your office in fact.”

“Oh?”

“Erica will still have a detail with the Marshal’s Service, but Agent Minelli offered me a lateral transfer into your unit. He said there was suddenly an open position, and he liked my work in...well, in finding you.”

“An open position?”

“As co-lead in counterterror.”

“But that’s...that’s Ray Haffner’s job.”

Kim blinked. “Oh. Minelli didn’t tell you?”

She shook her head, and raised her hands in a shrugging gesture. “No, he was much too busy thinking of how he could threaten Patrick within an inch of his life.”

Kim laughed. “Haffner is out of the FBI. Well, not officially out. The investigation isn’t going well.”

“Investigation?”

“He came the night you were shot. Minelli laid into him, presented him with a restraining order requiring him to be far away from you, and told him that his ass was done at the FBI if he had anything to do with it. He started a sexual harassment and misconduct investigation the very next day. He also demanded Haffner’s removal from counter-terror. From my understanding, the investigation is not going well for him.”

“I--I didn’t know any of that. They probably didn’t want to stress me out.”

Kim shrugged. “Well, I didn’t mean to stress you out. From what I could gather, Minelli is leading the charge to get him removed.”

She sighed. “At least I’ll know if he tries anything crazy.”

“I doubt he will. Minelli was clear on the point that this came from him, not you. And that is why I would not want to piss that kindly-looking man off, especially when it comes to you.”

“She’s like his daughter.” She didn’t know he was standing there, but Patrick made himself know the same way he always did. Teresa smiled a bit at that.

“I’m not.” He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. She was glad they could do this part again.

“Please. He gave me the talk.”

Kim smiled. “Patrick.”

“Kim. So you’re joining us in Sacramento?”

“I am! I didn’t know that Teresa didn’t know anything about me replacing soon to be former Agent Haffner.”

She waved her hand again. “It’s not a problem, Kim. Seriously. I’ll even act surprised when they tell me.” The three women laughed as she put on her faux shock face.

“Cute. See, this is why Minelli loves you.”

“Hush!” She swatted at him. Returning her attention to Kim and Erica, she continued. “Erica, if you want to be in Sacramento, I am happy to help you get settled in and show you the ropes of the city.” 

The brunette smiled at her. “Thank you. That’s a really kind offer.” Her smile held the words that someone like Erica would always be too proud to say.

At that moment, it was like she could see through Erica. So much of her attitude in the beginning of their relationship, as well as how she took to being around Michelle, made so much sense now. So much of her life must’ve been putting on a show that she’d never been welcomed anywhere before. “You’re welcome in Sacramento as long as the Marshals are ok with that placement. We’d even love to have you over for dinner from time to time.”

Erica squeezed her hand. “Thanks.”

They talked for a bit before the awards ceremony began. Teresa thought it was nice to be included, but she didn’t know why exactly they wanted her on Skype so bad. She barely talked to women outside of her group or did anything of note. She was just an FBI agent, infiltrating their space.

The ceremony began with Marcus addressing the crowd. “Good afternoon, everyone. I’m glad to welcome you all here to this year’s awards ceremony. As you know some things happened during pageant staging, and I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and our new Pageant Director Madeleine Hightower and share our vision for Miss America.” She noted how proud, regal even, Madeleine looked standing at his side. If anyone had earned and deserved this job, it was Madeleine.

After the introductions, they wasted no time getting down to the awards. Near the end of the ceremony, Michelle stood and went to the podium wearing her crown and Miss America sash. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her cream colored dress. She was beaming.

“I’m here to introduce this year’s Miss Congeniality. As you may know, Miss Congeniality is voted on by the pageant contestants and awarded to the woman who shows the most courageousness and kindness. She’s the kind of woman we all want to be. This year, I would like you to join me in congratulating our Miss Congeniality. We know her as Gracie, and she will always be our Gracie. She kept us safe, while also spreading warmth and kindness in every place she touched. I am proud to call her my roommate and my friend. So please join me in congratulating Miss Congeniality 2017 Gracie Lou Freebush!”

She heard an eruption of applause in the room as she choked on her drink. Madeleine’s insistence that she come prep her for the awards show, and Kim and Erica’s insistence that the sit here with her instead of attending in person, made a lot more sense now as Kim pulled the Miss Congeniality sash from her bag. Carefully, she placed it around her shoulders. Patrick flashed her a smile and kissed her hand as the two women in her room clapped.

“Gracie is in the hospital recovering from injuries, so she couldn’t be here in person today. We welcome her to accept her award via Skype.”

She honestly had no idea what to say and hated situations like this. At least she was staring at a room of like 100 people. “Wow! I can’t believe anyone thought enough of me to nominate me for this award. I’m not sure what I did to deserve this honor, but thank you all. When I first set out on this pageant journey, I wasn’t sure how well I’d fit in, but you all made me feel extremely welcome. I’m glad I was able to participate in the pageant and to meet all of you. I wish I could be there today to accept this award in person. Thank you again.” Patrick, who had slipped out at some point, was back with a bouquet of flowers. Obviously, he was in on this as well.

Marcus took the microphone once again. “No, Gracie, thank you! Thank you for making sure this pageant and every woman here and beyond is safe from men who would harm them. You’ve done work that touches so many lives, even those of people not in this room.” 

Once again, there was an eruption of clapping hands over the screen. She felt herself start to cry a bit once she was off screen. Some time after the event ended, Madeleine and Michelle joined her in her room. In the way that he was able to talk perfectly reasonable people into doing questionable things, Jane convinced the nurse (not that she wasn’t grateful) to agree to let her out of bed and outside for a few minutes for photos. 

He snapped photos for them. After she took a photo with Michelle, both women proudly displaying their sashes, Michelle pulled her aside.

She leaned in to hug her, careful not to lean into her wound. “Teresa, thank you so much for everything. I really mean it.”

“No need to thank me, Michelle. I was just doing my job.”

“That’s not what I meant. I wondered why you didn’t immediately laugh at me when I told you I wanted to be an FBI agent. Everyone else always had. A dumb beauty queen wanting to carry a gun and fight for justice?”

“You’re not dumb.”

“That’s what people think of me. Everyone I’ve ever told except you.” She looked at her hands for a moment. “But it’s because you’re an FBI agent, so it didn’t sound ridiculous to you.”

“No, people always have something to say. I always remember the jokes I got when I brought Grace--Darla--on board my team. Lots of slumber party, hair braiding jokes. It can be hard to be taken seriously and we shouldn’t do that to each other. We can be beauty queens, law enforcement professionals, doctors, lawyers--whatever we want to be!”

Michelle smiled at her. “Well, I’m glad to hear you say that. I’m applying to the FBI this year.”

Teresa’s eyes went wide. “Seriously? That’s great, Michelle.” She hugged her friend. “Call me anytime if you need anything. Okay? I mean it!”

After her talk with Michelle, the girls practically screamed for her and Patrick to get a photo together. He whispered in her ear as they settled in to take photos. “I think I overheard Madeleine say she wanted to use these for our engagement announcement in the paper.” She chuckled softly. Without a doubt, Madeleine was the ringleader of all of this.

She smiled at him. “Madeleine loves photos, and we all have a lot to celebrate today.” 

“I’ve got several photos of you two. I’ll pick the best one and send it to you.”

She nodded. “Thanks, Madeleine.” 

“Not a problem. We will see you back inside.” She couldn’t help but notice Madeleine made eye contact with Patrick before turning and walking away, giving them a moment alone.

“Nice of them to give us a moment.” She eyed him suspiciously.

“Whoa! What’s with all of the suspicion? Can’t a guy just want a moment alone with his girl?”

He gently pulled her into his embrace, kissing the side of her head. “I guess.”

“Maybe he wants to properly congratulate her.”

“Well, he can’t do that for at least another two to three weeks, sadly.” He laughed, immediately catching her meaning.

“I think we can figure something out. Besides, I wanted to tell you that you look absolutely beautiful.”

“Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.”

“Are you going to hassle me today? Make things difficult for me?”

“Depends. What are you guys up to? You knew I was winning this award, didn’t you?”

He exhaled sharply. “I was sworn to the greatest secrecy. Just like Madeleine wasn’t allowed to tell you about this.”

She noticed he was holding a little jewelry box in his left hand, which no longer had his wedding band. “What’s this?”

“Open it.” With a bit of nervousness, she opened the box. Inside was an antique cut emerald on a gold band with what looked like small diamonds on either side of the stone. She looked into his eyes, waiting for him to talk. “It’s a promise ring.”

“A promise ring?”

He nodded as he turned to face her. Placing his right hand to her left cheek and stroking her jawbone, he continued. “I can’t spend a minute without thinking about you or wanting to be near you. You’re my everything. You’re an incredible woman, and I am honored to be in your presence. I only hope I can show you how much you really mean to me. Even after a little over a week as your boyfriend I know that I’d like to be your husband some day--when you’re ready. I promise to love you, to commit myself to you, and to us, for as long as you will have me. I hope that you’ll have me forever because I love you, Teresa Lisbon.”

She felt the tears start to run down her face as he wiped them from the left side with his thumb. The man never did anything in half measures to be sure. 

“Patrick, I love it...I love you…but I don’t want your promise ring.”

“What?” His voice was slightly above a whisper and she could immediately detect the hurt--which had not been her intent at all.

“That’s not what I mean. Ask me...just ask me.”

He blinked rapidly a few times before kneeling before her. “Will you marry me?”

“Of course! I love you. Slide the damn ring on my left hand!”

He laughed. “No need to be impatient, woman!” After sliding the ring onto her left ring finger, he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. As he leaned out, he smirked. “You know, if I’d known we were getting engaged today, I would’ve gotten you a proper ring.”

“A proper ring? Babe, this one is perfect! What were you going to get me? Some gaudy thing that I wouldn’t be able to wear from day to day?”

“Damn straight. Let the entire world know you’re a Jane!”

She laughed as she kissed him again. “I think you at my side is a big enough clue.”

He rubbed his nose against hers. “One day, Teresa, you will let me spoil you.”

She looked into his eyes. “I said you could have forever. What more could you possibly give me?”

He smiled. “That all depends on how the future looks to you.” With that he kissed her once more, wrapping her into his warm embrace--all the promise of a future with him that she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This almost seemed anticlimactic considering the last few chapters, but I really wanted to wrap everyone's story in a way that made sense--and give Jane and Lisbon the happy ending I wanted them to have at the end of this. Seriously, thanks for reading. I didn't envision this story would be quite so long when I started out, but I'm glad I got to write this story!


End file.
